Starting Over
by kdzl
Summary: Sequel to 'After Three Years'. JJ's back at the BAU, and while some things change, others stay the same. JJ/H. Co-Written with ssbailey.
1. Chapter 1

**_AN/ So, according to my profile poll, people wanted a sequel to After Three Years, (which absolutely delights me because that's one of my favorite stories) so here it is. SSBAILEY is such a great partner that I couldn't help but jump at the chance to have her co-write this with me. We hope you enjoy! _**

**_AN2/ For anyone that hadn't read the original one-shot, 3 years after JJ left the BAU Hotch went to bring her back to find out that she was being abused. The previous story had JJ's son with a different name, but that's changed now so that it's Henry to avoid any confusion._**

PART 1

"JJ, are you sure you're ready to do this? You've only been back for a week, it can wait." Hotch asked softly as they sat in his car in the bureau parking lot. They had dropped Henry off at the FBI offered daycare just down the road, and were now sitting silently in his car. He had noticed how JJ's fists were clenched tightly, though that was the only tick that may have given her away as being nervous.

"No. I mean, Yes. I mean, I can do this." JJ said softly, taking a deep breath and opening the door to exit the car.

He quickly exited the car at the same time, determined to provide moral support. "Hotch?" She asked, startling him as they stepped into the elevator.

"Yeah?"

"My erm, _bruise,"_ she whispered as though it were a secret, "is it totally obvious?"

"What bruise?" He asked, truthfully he could see the outline of it a little, but she didn't need to know about that.

"Thanks." She smiled, "Do you think everyone will be okay with me being back? I don't want to cause problems."

"They all love you JJ. They're happy that you're back, but some things are different..." Hotch started, but was cut off by Garcia and Emily greeting them as the elevator opened to the BAU's floor.

"JJ!" Emily smiled, hugging her friend lightly, "I missed you!"

JJ's words were caught in her throat, unable to speak for a moment while Emily hugged her. "I've missed you too." She finally choked out, overcome by the love that eminated from her friend.

Finally pulling away, Emily looked at her excitedly "I want to show you something." She practically dragged JJ over to her desk, the exact same one she had been using since she joined the BAU. "This is Meredith, but Brian's nicknamed her Meri." She said, pulling a picture off a desk.

JJ examined the photo, it was of a tiny little baby in pink. "Is she yours? How old is she?"

"Yeah, she's four months--I've only been back at work for a month myself, but I miss my little Meri everyday--she's adorable." Emily gushed proudly.

_"So, have you guys thought of names?" Emily asked her as they sat eating take-out at a New Mexican precinct._

_"Well, I really like Adam, but Will likes Henry for a boy."_

_"Henry? Like Henry Lee Lucas?" Emily laughed._

_"Yeah, I told him I'd rather die before we named our son Henry, but we'll have to see." JJ laughed._

_"What about for a girl?" Emily asked, sipping her cola._

_"I'm not sure. I had a friend named Merideth, and I love that name."_

_"Oh! I love that too!" Emily squealed._

_"Ok, tell you what! Next one to have a girl gets to name her Merideth." _

"She's beautiful Em, really." JJ smiled, "So Brian's the husband?"

"Yep, our girl here married a doctor." Garcia chimed in, sounding every bit like the proud parent. "Dr. Brian Patterson."

"I'm really happy for you Em." JJ answered honestly, "But I guess I need to see what a mess my office is--I'll see you guys later."

* * *

"Serial killers seem to be extremely busy this morning" JJ muttered to herself as she poured over the fifth case file to come through the fax machine before 9am. "Well I guess we're going to Milford, Delaware."

After alerting the team individually that there was a new case, she ignored the odd looks and set up in the conference room. She knew that before she would have just announced loudly that there was a briefing, and with telling the team each time it had come out as more of a request, but she couldn't help it.

Shaking her head to clear the memories that came to mind as she entered the conference room, JJ started placing the files and pens in front of each chair--the team filing in as she did so.

Plopping down in the chair that was closest to the door, Reid was met with a glare from Derek Morgan. "Okay, geez Morgan. I forgot, I'm moving." the young genius surrendered as everyone got situated around the table.

Filing away the scene she had just witnessed for later, JJ immediately started the breifing. "A detective from the Milford PD in Delaware faxed me this case file this morning." Pausing, she clicked up three gruesome crime scene photos, "The bodies of three women--all age 23--have been found all over the city. All were beaten, raped, and had both breasts removed peri mortem. They all bleed out from the wounds within hours of when they were inflicted."

"He makes no effort to redress the bodies before he dumps them" Rossi observed, "This guy obviously has no remorse whatsoever."

"The victim's--Rachel Moore, Stevie Roberts, and Meagan King--were all found within a two week time period, and only Meagan was reported missing by her brother, Charlie King." JJ added, pulling up the DMV photos of each victim. "Detective Davies said the town is practically on lock down, people are afraid to leave their homes, children are being kept home from school. Apparently Milford is fairly small town, and the police are afraid that if an arrest isn't made soon the public may begin to take matters into their own hands"

"According to the census taken in 2000, Milford, Delaware, had a population of barely 6,000 residents." Reid tossed out, "Most of them were male."

"That seems like my sort of town." Garcia said causing all in the room to chuckle.

"Wheels up in 20?" JJ asked, avoiding eye contact with all of the other members of the team.

"Yeah, wheels up in 20." Hotch reaffirmed as everyone closed their files.

* * *

"Anna, honey we caught a case..." Rossi said into his blackberry as he boarded the plane, grimacing at what he knew her reaction would be, "I know it's out anniversary, baby--I'll make it up to you. I promise!"

Taking a seat next to Emily on the jet, JJ whispered, "Em, who's he talking to?"

"Oh, that's Anna--his wife." Emily informed her blonde friend. "They've been married about six months, and believe me when I say it's been a long six months for all of us."

"I'm sorry, I'm still processing the fact that David Rossi got married, _again_." JJ whispered back, watching as Dave slammed his phone down on the small table at the front of the plane, "Ouch! I guess you weren't kidding about it being a long six months, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"So," JJ approached the question carefully, "What else has changed?"

"Everything." Emily laughed, "and nothing." Seeing the distant glance on her friend's face, she decided to oblige a little. "Well, I've gotten married and had a baby, but other than that, same old same old."

"Yeah, _Merideth, _what a cute name." JJ pointed out hoping her friend still remembered.

"I knew you hadn't had a girl yet, and---" Emily smiled, but left her sentence hanging, "I just liked having a little secret that only you and I know."

"So, Rossi's married?" JJ asked, avoiding Emily's eyes and trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, and she's about 20 years younger than he is. She worked for his book publisher, but the most has probably changed for our resident genius." Emily revealed.

"Oh, really?" JJ asked.

"Yeah, he's been dating this girl for _forever_, I know she's talked to him about getting married, I think she might have to pop the question first, even though I went with him to pick out an engagement ring." Emily laughed.

"No way! Are you serious?" JJ asked, her mind running a mile a minute at this new revelation, "Reid's planning on proposing to someone?!"

"I've very serious. Austin's really sweet, you'll have to meet her when we get back--he met her during a case we did while you were on maternity leave." Emily answered as the jet took off from the runway. "I think that was during the Jordan Todd era."

"The Jordan Todd era?"

"Oh, yea we started referring to them as "era's" after the six liasion left." Emily answered, "But I guess that's over now, we're really glad you're back Jayje."

"Thanks, I'm really glad to be back." JJ said awkwardly.

* * *

Entering the precinct for the first time brought back a flood of memories for JJ--most of them unpleasant. This precinct looked almost identical to the one Will had worked.

"Hey, pretty lady, how can I help you?" An attractive officer with a Southern drawl surprised her. It took everything she had not to cringe visibly.

"You can tell us where your boss is." Morgan spoke up from behind her, "And since I don't think he'd want to hear about one of his officers having a sexual harassment suit filed against them, maybe you should get back to work."

"Whoa, hey man I didn' mean to be disrespectful." The officer surrendered immediately. Pointing across the room, he added, "The boss is waiting for the FBI over there in the conference room."

Turning around to say thank you, JJ was immediately met with Derek Morgan's back retreating into the conference room behind Hotch and the others, "Well, Thanks anyway Derek." She whispered, and moved to follow her team.

* * *

**_AN/ I hope you liked it! _**


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN/So, to everyone who tried to go back and read the first story, I'm sorry. I accidentally deleted it and ended up re-writing it, so if you _NOW_ want to go back and read 'After Three Years' that is up. _**

**_AN2/Thanks to everybody that's reviewed! I'm really excited about this story, and it's awesome to be able to work on another story with SSBAILEY._**

* * *

PART 2

"So what are we thinking?" Morgan asked, looking over the most recent crime scene with Hotch, Reid, and Rossi. "Body dump or primary crime scene?"

"Body dump." Rossi stated defiantly, his hands moving in front of him to make a point, "Look at where we are--this part of the park is heavily traveled by locals and there's hardly any trees or bushes to provide adequate cover."

"Someone would have seen him, or at the very least heard them screaming." Hotch pointed out, "So we're all agreed--this is the secondary crime scene?"

"Agreed." Morgan and Dave said immediately, Reid still quietly stared at JJ who was trying--without much success--to battle the press.

"Reid? Everything okay?" Dave asked cautiously, not wanting to startle the young agent.

"What?" Reid asked, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. "Oh sorry. I agree this is just the secondary crime scene--he killed them somewhere else."

"Talk to us Reid." Morgan prodded, "What's up?"

"Nothing, it's just..."

"Just what?" Hotch questioned.

"It's weird, her being back after all this time--it's just weird." Reid sputtered, suddenly finding his shoes very interesting.

"Reid, she's been through a lot. She'll probably tell you later, but we don't need to be criticizing other members of the team." Hotch defended.

"Yeah, kid. Cut her some slack." Rossi intoned, siding with his long term friend.

"But I agree with Reid." Morgan said, "It's just weird. Not bad, just weird. Like there's a bunch that we don't know about her. Three years is a long time."

"There's a lot that she doesn't know about us. Three years is a long time." Rossi said softly, all eyes turning to Morgan.

"Let's get back to work." Morgan insisted gruffly.

* * *

"You're looking for a white male in his 30s to 40s." Rossi began, the whole precinct paying rapt attention to the team's every word.

"He's good looking, charming even--and you all know him, this man is not an outsider." Emily added.

"Look no offense lady, but how do you know this guy is from Milford?" A short, balding Detective asked. "And the last time I checked you don't have to be charming to kill someone."

"You're right Detective, you don't have to know someone to kill them." Morgan answered, "But sadism like this is hard to cover up, it probably bleeds into the UnSub's daily life in some way, and because he's a local everyone over looks it."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you think he's this charming handsome guy." A female detective prodded from the back of the room.

"What's your name Detective?" Emily asked, taking control of the room once more.

"Detective Jill Newton ma'am."

"Okay Detective Newton, tell me this." Emily started, her hands sliding into her pockets, "If a man came up to you say outside the grocery store, and he somehow seemed a little rude, maybe he can't keep eye contact, and he keeps looking behind him like he thinks someone is following him--are you going to go anywhere with this man?"

"No, of course not ma'am."

"Exactly. These women went with the UnSub voluntarily, so something he did or said made them relax around him, maybe feel safe even." Emily continued, "There isn't a woman on the planet who would go with the a man who seemed the least bit sketchy."

"But how do we know he isn't using a ruse or something to get them to go with him?" A young male uniform asked, his notepad and pen out in front of him.

"Good question." Reid chimed in, "He probably is using some sort of ruse whether it be a lost dog, maybe his car broke down, or maybe something else entirely."

"Another thing about our UnSub is that he's the type of guy who the people around would never suspect that he's the person committing these crimes." Hotch added, "They'll probably say things like 'He just has a short temper' or 'He just gets a little carried away sometimes', when in reality that is his sadistic persona slipping through his everyday facade."

"So how do we catch him?" The Chief of Police asked.

"We find the common link between his victims, and use it to exploit him. An UnSub this organized is not going to be caught by accident--we're going to have to catch him trying to kidnapp another woman." Rossi explained.

"And what if there are no common links between the victims?"

"Then we're in a lot more trouble than we thought." Morgan answered solemnly, "If the victims are random, then the only thing we can do is wait until he slips up and leaves some evidence behind at one of the dump sites."

* * *

"I can't believe they're out of sugar!" The Southern uniformed officer moaned just as JJ and Morgan entered the breakroom. "Nothing ever goes right!"

JJ froze, immediately cringing, though she knew that she had no reason to. It was a conditioned response, really, and as hard as she tried, she couldn't keep her breathing from accelerating.

The younger man slammed the empty container down and whipped around angrily to face the two FBI agents, "What do you want?" He spat angrily, obviously having a bad day.

"I'm sorry." JJ stammered as she quickly left the room, not noticing the perplexed looks from the two men in the room.

"I wonder what that was about." The younger man drawled in confusion, but Morgan barely seemed to notice, instead focusing on the retreating woman who seemed to be doing her best to get as far from the Southern officer as she could.

* * *

"There's nothing here." Morgan said frustratedly, throwing down the file on the conference room table, "We've been looking through this information for hours and so far these women have no common link whatsoever--they didn't even go to a gas station on the same day."

Observing the tired, overworked, and frustrated agents around him Hotch came to a decision, "We're tired and frustrated and we're not going to help us catch this UnSub if we can't keep our eyes open. Let's call it a night and head back to the hotel."

The short drive to the hotel felt far longer than it was. For the most part, everyone on the team could barely stand up without swaying from exhaustion, but they were also starving after having skipped lunch earlier in the day. The need for food soon became more important that sleep at the moment, and within a half hour of arriving back at the hotel every member of the BAU was seating around a large round table in the hotel's restaurant.

"Reid, it's been about an hour, are you sure you don't need to call Austin?" Emily teased as the group ate their food.

"Funny." Reid scoffed, "actually, I haven't called her for almost three hours."

"A record." Rossi muttered.

"So you're really dating someone?" JJ asked him in disbelief.

Reid blushed slightly, "Yeah, we've been dating for three and a half years."

"How did you meet her?" JJ asked, dying to know the details of all of her friend's new lives.

"We were at a club and Morgan tried to teach me to pick up on women. She liked my magic skills." Reid blushed as he recounted the story.

"Nice of Morgan to show all of his 'moves'." JJ teased lightly, causing the entire table to fall into immediate silence.

"You know what?" Morgan started, standing up from the table, "I'm not really that hungry anymore, I'll see you in the morning." Putting his fork and napkin down on the table, he turned and made his way towards the elevators and back to his room.

An eerily quiet silence feel over the remaining memebers of the team as JJ pushed her own chair back, and stood--finally deciding she was going to get to the bottom of this. "Excuse me." She said polietly before making her way down the same path Morgan had just gone.

"We should have told her what happened." Emily scolded the other members of the team.

"She's going to find out soon enough." Hotch said sadly.  


* * *

Reaching his room--the one directly across from hers--as the door was beginning to click closed behind him, she promptly stuck her hand out to catch the door. Moving inside the room quickly, she closed and locked the door behind her. "What is this?" JJ asked once she was sure he wasn't going to ask her to leave right off the bat. "What did I do?" She queried.

"You're gone for three years. I barely know you. I don't think you did anything." Morgan dismissed.

"Why are you so angry with me?" She asked, detecting the slight venom in his voice.

"Look, can we talk about this later? I'm just not really in the mood tonight." Morgan asked, turning to face her but not moving to show her the door.

"NO! I'm not loosing you, Derek. Not like this. We used to be best friends, talk to me, tell me what's changed." JJ argued, feeling somewhat like her old self, or what she liked to call her "Pre-Will" days.

Chuckling softly Morgan whispered, "There's the old JJ I remember."

"Don't you forget it." She smiled, grateful to feel like the self that she used to like.

* * *

**_AN/We'd love to hear what you think!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_AN/ We hope you like this! Let us know what you think! Thanks to everybody who has reviewed and/or alerted this story!_**

Chapter 3

Morgan looked at JJ, trying to come up with a way to explain to her what had happened. "Derek, you can trust me." She prodded.

"Trust? I can't trust anyone." Morgan said softly, still unsure how to proceed. "Do you really want to know what happened?" He asked pointedly.

She nodded, knowing that was the right course but slightly terrified as to what the explanation would be.

"I guess it's just as easy to show you as to tell you." He said, though he knew it was a lie. He still hadn't talked about it with _anyone_. Five months, thirteen days later, the wounds had healed, but his soul hadn't. He quickly removed the t-shirt he had been wearing, exposing his reality to her.

She gasped involuntarily. There on the perfect skin of Derek Morgan were welts and scars, revealing more than words ever could express. He had been tortured, that much was obvious. "How?" She sputtered.

"It was the Eric Whitaker Era." He began softly, "the kid was pompous, goaded the unsub though we knew it wasn't a good idea. I went out to grab the team dinner and..." He stopped. She wasn't sure if he was unable or unwilling to continue.

"What happened?" She asked as she sat down on the corner of his bed, unsure whether she really wanted to know the answer.

"It was a week and a half before they found me." Morgan replied, his memory in full force but unable to express the terrors he had seen.

They sat in silence for almost twenty minutes, neither knowing or caring what to say next.

"I know what it's like" JJ said, finally breaking the silence.

"What _what _is like?" He asked.

"To feel like you should have been able to stop it--that you should have been in control, I know what that's like." She said honestly.

"JJ, you don't have to--" He tried to stop her, knowing the personal direction the conversation was headed.

"I want to." She stopped him, pleading with him to understand. "I didn't call because at first I was afraid what Will would do if he found out, and then after a while it started to be because I was still hoping that he would change back--back into the guy I fell in love with."

Standing up, she lifted her shirt a little to reveal several long crudely healed scars above the bottom of her ribcage, "This is from not going to the hospital out of fear when your husband cracks your ribs, and this..."

"JJ, stop. You don't have to show me, it's okay." Morgan tried, "Just because I showed you mine doesn't mean you have to do this."

Continuing on like she hadn't heard him, she let her shirt fall back into place before sitting backon the bed and removing her shoes. Showing him the heel of her left foot, she pointed to at least ten circular scars of varying depth---one looked fairly recent, "And these are from..."

"Cigarettes. Those are cigarette burns." Morgan added, suddenly feeling the need to hit something.

"Yeah, they are." JJ admitted. "And don't try to hide them, I know you have them too..."

"I...I.." Morgan stuttered, amazed at what the woman in front of him had endured. "JJ, please....please tell me that's all that asshole did to you." he begged, though knowing the sickening truth.

"You know...you know there's more. There always is." JJ said solemnly, reaching out for him, "Come sit down, and tell me about one of your scars--I told you two of mine, and I only know one of yours."

Sitting carefully on the other corner of the mattress, he ran a hand over his neck, "I haven't even told Garcia about this..."

"Derek" JJ started, giving him all the space he needed between them in the room, "I haven't told her about any of my experience either. I wouldn't have showed you some of my scars if I was afraid you'd tell someone--Hotch has only seen the burns on the back of my neck, and he flipped, I'm not about to tell Garcia anything about what we've been through."

Silence filled the room for several long minutes before he spoke again. Pointing as best he could to the long, jagged scar on his left shoulder blade he whispered, "He kept me in the basement, it was some kind of old bomb shelter with all these smaller metal rooms in it. He--Logan Wooten--did this with a box cutter when we heard Hotch break the door down upstairs, they almost left without finding me until Rossi noticed the hidden basement door beneath the stairs."

Her heart broke for him as he revealed how close to death he had come. There were some secrets she still wasn't ready to share, though she supposed it was the same for him. They were silent for another moment before she pulled the neck of her turtle neck down low to reveal a large round white scar around her collar bone, "This is from where he choked me and his watch pressed so hard into my throat I started coughing up blood when he finally let go."

"You thought you were going to die." He finished for her softly.

Nodding, she let her shirt collar fall back into place, and leaned her head onto his shoulder, "But at least we made it--we survived."

He nodded slightly, and said softly, almost whispering "I'm not sure it was better to survive." She nodded again, the comfortable silence filling the room once more. His short sentence encompassing more than either of them were able to describe.

"At least we've got each other." She concluded softly.

"Yeah. We do have each other." He smiled and put his arm around her, promising himself one thing _I will never let anyone hurt her again. _

"Derek?" JJ asked, a small smile on her lips. "Wanna order pizza? I mean you did make us miss dinner."

He laughed loudly at that, and suddenly realized how long it had been since real laughter had escaped him. "Yeah, but you're buying." He teased lightly.

An hour and half a pizza later, he could tell that she was starting to drift off to sleep.

"We'd better call it a night." He said, softly suggesting that their bonding could wait until the morning.

He saw the slight look of panic that she immediately masked. "Oh, yeah. Ok. Goodnight." She seemed to stutter as she walked slowly towards the door. Suddenly he realized her predicament. She was too stubborn to admit that she wasn't ready to stay alone, but the thought of being alone in the darkness--it was something that he still had a difficult time with.

"JJ?" He asked as she whipped around gratefully. "Would you like to stay here tonight?" He asked, smiling softly at the grateful look that washed across her features.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She said softly, then smirked slightly "but if you think I'm going to hop into bed with you, you're mistaken--I'm not easy," she teased her eyes sparkling mischieviously.

"You are definitely far from easy." He agreed, reaching into his ready bag for his flannel pajama pants, "Are you going to sleep in those clothes?"

Looking down at her slacks and turtleneck, she sighed, "No, I guess not. Do you think I could---?"

"Here" he interrupted, holding out a clean t-shirt to her, "Just wear this and give it back in the morning before breakfast."

* * *

"JJ?" Hotch asked, when he saw JJ sneaking out of Morgan's room just after sunrise the next morning--the unwanted surprise causing a pit of jealously to form in his stomach.

"Oh, hey Hotch." JJ smiled at him as she opened the door to her own room and entered. He was shocked at how beautiful she was when she smiled, really smiled, and felt his heart break at the realization that it wasn't him who caused the smile--it was Derek Morgan.

Hours later at breakfast, he avoided Morgan as best he could. The younger man hadn't done anything wrong, but Hotch could barely stand in his presence. Instead he chose to chat with Emily who was animatedly sharing details of her new daughter.

"JJ!" Emily said excitedly, "come look at a new picture that Brian e-mailed me of Meri!" She commanded.

JJ looked at the photo of the small girl sucking on her own hand and smiled softly, "What a beautiful little girl." Trying to extract herself from the conversation she unconciously tightened her grip in the pale blue t-shirt in her hand, "I've got to find Morgan, have you seen him?"

Lost in her own thoughts, Emily barely even registered the question, "I think he said something about going on a walk, needed to clear his head."

"Thanks, I'll try that small park a few streets over." JJ answered.

Walking briskly, it took only minutes to find him, sitting on a park bench and staring out at those in the park. "Hey." She smiled as she sat down next to him.

"Hey." He smiled back at her.

"I brought your shirt back." She said lamely, joining him in the peaceful morning activity.

"Thanks." They sat in silence for a while, content with the quiet morning and the handful of people that were exercising in the park. "I haven't been on a date since it happened." He admitted, "I haven't shared a room with a woman since either."

They were engulfed in silence once more as JJ tried to decide what to say. "Well, I guess we'll need to get you back on the horse." She said smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Neither does SSBAILEY**

**_AN/I just want to thank every body for the awesome reviews! We totally appreciate it!_**

* * *

Chapter Four

"Good morning my lovely profilers!" Garcia greeted over the webcam, "I have some news that will rock your worlds."

"Baby girl, we're barely over last time." Morgan answered, "Tell me you found us a connection between the victims."

"Sugar you know me too well." Garcia tossed out, "All three of the victim's visited a small local farmer's market just off highway 11 on the same day. Apparently whoever runs the place made a deposit late last night because all three had a check cashed from there this morning."

"Morgan, Reid, go check it out." Hotch commanded. "Anything else?"

"That's all I've got for you at the moment, Boss man" Garcia said truthfully, "but I'll let you know if something else comes up."

"Thanks Garcia."

"Anytime, but listen could you lovely behavioral guru's give me a minute with JJ?" Garcia asked before anyone could disconnet the web call, "It'll just take a second, scouts honor."

Nodding politely, Hotch ushered the remaining two BAU agents out of the room. "Okay Garcia, they're gone. What's up?" JJ asked, moving in front of the computer screen.

"Oh Jayje" Garcia sighed, "I've got some bad news and some good news--which do you want first?"

"Bad. Now what's going on Pen?" JJ asked worriedly, her hands restlessly moving in her lap.

"Will got out on bail this morning, sweetie" Garcia started bluntly, figuring the direct approach was best, "But the good news is Henry and I are going to stay with a friend on the base tonight so we'll be totally safe--I gave the MP's at the gate Will's picture and a made sure they won't let him through."

"How could he make bail?" JJ asked exasperatedly.

"They said he wasn't a flight risk, but pumpkin, don't you worry. I'll be watching to see if he buys a plane ticket, Henry and I will be totally safe." Garcia reminded her, "I just wanted you to know."

"Thanks." JJ said half-heartedly, immediately on alert.

"Jayje, really. Everything's going to be fine." Garcia assured her.

"I hope so." JJ said worriedly, "I have to go, but kiss him for me?"

"I'll do you one better. We'll call you later, okay?" Garcia promised. "Now go out there and show those boys how it's done short stuff."

* * *

"Hotch we talked to Jesse Felker, the man that runs this place, and he admits that he knows all three of the victims--but so does every other farmer out here." Morgan informed, his cell phone next to his left ear as he buckled his seatbelt.

"There's got to be another connection--dig deeper." Hotch commanded.

"Well, I've got that they all came here the same day, even though they talked to different people." Morgan conceeded.

"Find out if the farmer's set up randomly every day or if there's a set order they set up their stands." Hotch ordered, "If you find out it isn't random, call me and Dave and I will head out there."

"You got it." Morgan answered, hanging up.

"So what's the plan?" Reid asked, moving around in his seat a little.

"We go back and talk to Jesse Felker and see if they set up randomly or not" Morgan informed, "Hotch and Rossi will head out if it isn't."

As the pair sat in uncomfortable silence for a moment. The entire team knew about JJ leaving Morgan's room late last night--in Morgan's clothes. Reid hoped that there was something going on between the two--Morgan had been off of his A-game since his abduction and JJ had always seemed so happy back when she began the BAU, far different from her now shell-shocked demeanor.

Morgan, as if he could read Reid's mind broke the hushed quiet. "If you want to know, ask."

"Are you...uh...dating JJ?" Reid asked hopefully.

"Are you a moron? She just broke it off with her husband." Morgan said disbelivingly. He loved his team, but the conclusions that they were jumping to were insane.

"You told me to ask!" Reid cried indignantly.

"Yeah, so that I could tell you that you're an idiot! JJ has been back for not even a week and you think I already shacked up with her?" Morgan shot back.

"You never know, you did it before. Well, not with JJ, it was usually with receptionists, trainees, cadets..." Reid began to list but quieted after recieving Morgan's glare. She was wearing his clothes to bed, even Reid knew what that meant.

Reid sat quietly for a moment, hoping that Morgan would say something, but after not even a grunt was made, Dr. Reid summoned his courage. "Alright, let's say that nothing is happening now, but what about in the future, when you're ready?"

Morgan shook his head. "I don't think JJ is going to be ready for anything for a while. And besides, I couldn't do that to Hotch."

"Huh?" Reid asked confused, he had no idea how Hotch was supposed to fit into this. "Why would Hotch care?"

"Its a good thing you've got Austin because you've got no idea what's going on around you." Morgan mused. "Do you see the way he looks at JJ?"

"Huh?"

"When JJ is ready for a relationship, I don't think its me that she is going to want one with." Morgan tried to explain.

"But wait, if you didn't sleep with her, why was she wearing your shirt?" Reid asked, as Morgan rolled his eyes.

"It's personal." Morgan evaded the question, knowing that JJ wouldn't want others knowing what had happened, "but not like that--how about we get back to work?"

* * *

"Mr. Felker, we just have a few more questions." Morgan said as they approached the farmer's market stand once more.

"Oh." Jesse's face fell.

"Mr. Felker, how is it determined what stand you have every day? Is it a set order, or is it more of a random basis?" Reid asked.

"For the new guys, it's more of a first come-first serve sort of thing, but once you're established, nobody takes your stand." Felker explained.

* * *

Walking back into the precinct two hours later, Morgan and Reid made a beeline for their Unit Chief. "Hotch, I think we need to take a close look at Jesse Felker. We talked to some of the other farmers and found out when he's not at work he's usually at a local bar causing problems." Morgan informed, happy to have a lead on who the UnSub might be.

"Call Garcia and see what she can find on him, have her fax anything she finds to the precinct." Hotch commanded.

"Hey mama." Morgan smiled as he dialed the number, moving towards a less busy part of the precinct.

"Hey yourself, you devilishly handsome cowboy." Garcia greeted him.

"I need you to look up everything you can on a Jesse Felker. Fax us whatever you get." Morgan informed her.

"Rightie-oh. You'll have it in a jiff." Garcia responded, then decided to act. She had been debating whether or not to tell anyone, and Morgan seemed like the perfect person to understand, "Derek?"

"Yeah?" He asked. When she didn't respond immediately, he prodded, "What can I do for you?"

"The better question is what _can't_ you do for me?" Garcia laughed.

"Aren't you still married?" Morgan teased.

"Separated." Garcia deflected, "But seriously. Can you just watch out for JJ? I'm worried about her."

"Why?" Morgan asked suspiciously.

"Other than the fact that this is her first case back?" Garcia attempted to redirect, but realized that he wasn't buying it. "Will got out on bail." She sighed.

"He _what?_" Morgan asked incredulously. How could the system fail so badly?

"It gets worse. JJ doesn't know this, but I've traced some calls from her old house to the FBI. Listening to the recordings, he's been posing as a detective trying to find out where JJ is. He's only gotten her voicemail, and I've secretly deleted all of the messages, but---just watch out for her, okay?"'

"Garcia, what do the messages say?" Morgan asked, his blood boiling.

"He just goes on and on about how he's going to hurt her or my baby boy Henry and I'm not about to let that happen." Garcia promised.

"We could have used those recordings as evidence of abuse." Morgan scolded slightly, his FBI training taking over before his heart could. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. JJ's entire body was evidence of abuse, but making Garcia feel guilty for trying to protect JJ from more trauma was not the way to handle it.

"I don't care, I'm not putting her through that again." Garcia insisted. She had failed JJ once, she wasn't about to do it again.

"At least tell me you aren't going back to your house tonight." Morgan said, hoping to soften his earlier comment.

"No, most definitely not! How can I without my handsome knight here to protect us?" Garcia teased letting him know that she understood, "I called your sister and she agreed to let us stay with her and Matt on base until this blows over."

"Will it ever?" Morgan asked himself quietly, then turned his attention back to Garcia. "Thanks mama, I'll watch out for her." He promised as he ended the call.

* * *

"I just picked up the fax from Garcia." Emily said running into the conference room where the rest of the team was set up and handing out copies of the paperwork. "Jesse Felker's got quite a history."

"Never a conviction, but a suspect in several rapes." Rossi mused as he looked over the history.

"Gives the sexual component for the removal of the breasts." Hotch mused, keeping a careful eye on the two women of the team.

"And the bar fights give us his anger outlet, well at least until they didn't work anymore and he had to find another outlet for his anger." Emily supplied, "I talked to one of the younger detectives and he told me that Jesse is usually at one of two bars on week nights. It's possible that he goes to the bar and starts a fight to get his blood boiling before going killing the women."

"Foreplay" Morgan agreed, "Like the bar fights are some sort of stressor, and then something about them on some nights causes him to have to seek out these women--and their addresses are on their checks, just waiting for him to read them and stop by the house."

"But there wasn't any evidence found at the house outside that suggested he watched them, how did he know they were home alone?" JJ questioned, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "That's pretty bold to just bust open the door without knowing who's on the other side."

"Easy." Reid commented quickly, "If I see you every day, it's easy for me to determine you're relationship status--dating, single, married, some theorize that pheromones alert members of the opposite sex when..."

"Stop. I get it." JJ interrupted smiling.

"It's not enough for a warrant." Rossi commented softly.

"But it is enough to bring him in for questioning." Emily pointed out.

"JJ, tell Detective Smith to pick him up." Hotch commanded, "We're going to need a confession."

* * *

**_AN/ As always, we'd love to know what you think!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Neither does SSBAILEY**

**_AN/I just want to thank every body for the awesome reviews! We totally appreciate it!_**

* * *

Chapter 5

Jesse Felker sat nervously in an interrogation room, and was slightly relieved to see the interrogation room door open and two stern looking men enter.

"Mr. Felker, I'm sorry for the inconvenience," Morgan started, trying to make him feel more comfortable, "our superiors think you may know something important."

"I don't." Jesse said nervously.

"We know that," Hotch blew out his breath in mock disgust, and assured him "it's just protocol."

"Mr. Felker, do you want some water?" Morgan asked kindly.

Jesse smiled as he calmed, these two agents weren't anything like the others that had questioned him before. "Call me Jesse. Yeah, I'd like some water."

"You know what I hate?" Morgan started, speaking to Hotch, "when women overstep their bounds."

Hotch fought a grimace as Jesse nodded, they had identified that their unsub would definitely be misogynistic. "Or don't know their place." Hotch added, disgusted with how quickly Jesse aligned himself with them. He could see it in the man's eyes, now it was a matter of getting him to confess.

Just then, as planned, Emily walked quickly into the room, "Agent Morgan, I need you for a few minutes." She said definitely.

"But, I'm doing an interview." Morgan appeared incredulous.

"Agent Jareau will sit in on this." Emily said with an air that exuded authority and a tone that prevented discussion.

Hotch looked at Jesse who gave a small smile as Morgan exasperatedly left the room following Emily.

"Sorry about that..." Hotch started, only to be cut off by JJ angrily slamming the door as she entered the room--the entire interrogation already planned out, and if the look on Jesse's face was any indication, the plan was working. "Jesse, this is Agent Jareau." Hotch added, faking an apologetic look in Jesse's direction.

"He doesn't need to know who we are Agent." JJ scolded, throwing a file down on the table. "All he needs to know are his rights and that we're going to be asking him questions."

Hotch just nodded, but said nothing as JJ continued. Loudly smacking down crime scene photos in front of Jesse, JJ continued on her tirade, "Do you recognize these women, Mr. Felker? I'm sure they were prettier before you mutilated them."

"I'm sorry, but do you have to be so gory? You don't even have the right guy anyway, I didn't kill these women?" Jesse answered, his voice full of confidence, but his body language betrayed him--he was afraid and uncomfortable around JJ, just like they had expected him to be.

"What's wrong Jesse? Do I make you uncomfortable?" JJ accused, "Or maybe it's the fact that I'm not begging you not to kill me. That's it, isn't it?"

"Let's be professional here." Hotch attempted to protect the man that he firmly believed to be their unsub, "That was uncalled for."

"I _am_ professional." JJ spat back, Hotch was immensly impressed at how well JJ was doing--only the slight trembling of her fingers betrayed her secret, and she kept those well out of Jesse's view. "Did you kill these women?"

"No." Jesse tried to appear calm, but everyone could see through his obvious facade.

"Agent Jareau, I think that this is going to far--" Hotch attempted to weakly stop her.

"So you didn't kill them?" JJ continued as though Hotch hadn't spoken.

"Agent I assure you, I am not your killer." Jesse answered, trying to hide his obvious discomfort, but failing visibly.

Moving to stand behind him, JJ leaned in and whispered, "I think you did Jesse, I think you killed them, and I think I'm making you uncomfortable because you can't play your little games with me."

"No!" Jesse yelled hoarsely, swallowing hard. "No!"

"Oh c'mon Jesse, I know you're lying to me." JJ pressured, careful not to force him into confessing, but giving him just enough pressure to break him. "I know you liked it, the way they begged for mercy, the way their skin felt as the knife moved though it."

And suddenly an emotionless, cold face of the psycopath she knew was underneath showed itself, "Rachel, she was the best. You always hear nothing is better than your first, but I never believed it until I had Rachel. Stevie. Stevie looked so much like the other one that I almost came undone when she came in the room. But you, you look like Meagan, and if he wasn't in here I might just get to know you a little better. What do you say we get rid of him?"

Moving back to the safety of the other side of the small room, JJ let out a small, emotionless laugh, "If we do, would it help you sleep in your cell tonight?"

"You have _no_ idea..."

"You're right, I don't have any idea what it's like to rape and murder a woman." JJ mused coldly, "You know what?"

"What?" Jesse asked, his fingers twitching on the table enough that Hotch was starting to get nervous from where he was sitting.

"I don't think you're ready for someone like me, Mr. Felker. Besides, they'll be plenty of lovely "women" to chose from where you're going."

Officers quickly entered the room, leading realization to dawn on Jesse's face. He slammed his fists on the table, causing JJ to shudder involuntarily as Hotch stood protectively between JJ and the man under arrest. "You ASKED for it! All of you!" He began to rant as the officers pulled him away. "I only killed them because they ASKED for it!" He protested

Hotch could see the trembling in the smaller woman begin at the aftermath of the interrogation. He immediatley softened, concerned that they had possibly pushed her too far. Just as he was about to try to comfort her himself, Morgan came rushing into the room and stopped just feet short of her, allowing her distance.

"You did good." He said encouragingly.

Suddenly Hotch couldn't take it any longer. If Morgan was going to be there supporting JJ and they were involved, then he would have to take the line of the strict superior. "JJ, can I speak with you privately?" The rest of them looked at him as if he were mad while JJ just eyed him warily.

"I...just...what?" She stuttered.

He sighed, normally not one for public censure but in this case he felt it was entirely necessary. "Maybe we shouldn't have brought you in on this case. If a simple interrogation affects you this much, it may not be wise to have you in the field."

"Are you saying that I'm not good enough for this job?" JJ asked meekly.

"I'm saying that if you can't do what this unit needs of you then maybe we need to find other alternatives." Hotch said harshly. He barely knew what had happened to JJ the last three years, but if she was currently seeing Morgan, then she must not be _that_ affected.

JJ blinked at him for a moment, fighting for control. "I'm sorry. I just...I can't." She quickly ran from the room, leaving the rest of the team staring at each other deftly in the interrogation room.

"What the hell Hotch?!" Morgan yelled, not caring who heard. "Do you know what she's even going through?" He asked incredulously.

"Morgan. Don't--" Hotch began angrily.

"No! She just did something that no one else here could have with this UnSub. She's worried sick, not just because this is a particularly brutal case, but because her _husband_ just got out on bail and she's terrified for the life of her son!"

Hotch felt a pit in his stomach as he realized that the relationship between his two teammates was more of a support group of survivors than a romantic one. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Morgan took this opportunity to continue his rant.

"Not to mention all she's been through since she left and now you're trying to push her right back where she came from?" He asked incredulously. How could Hotch be such a jerk? "Son of a bitch. No, you know what? If she leaves this unit then so do I--I'm not doing this without her."

"Morgan, I--" Hotch started, trying to explain.

"Save it. It's not me that you should be apologizing to." Morgan interrupted before running after JJ--he wasn't about to lose the only person he felt close to--again.

* * *

"Hey, you looking for the blonde chick?" a uniformed police officer asked as Morgan jogged past.

"Yea, where'd she go?"

"Headed out of here all upset with her keys--didn't leave though, SUV's still parked outside." The officer informed before walking away.

Heading outside, Morgan found JJ curled up in ball in the back seat with all the doors locked. Knocking on the window slightly, he tried not to startle her. "JJ, please let me in--talk to me."

Wordlessly she unlocked the doors, just long enough for him to climb in, and then locked them back securely. "Why..why would he say that to me?"

Millions of reasons flew through Morgan's mind, the primary one being their discussion last night and early that morning. Unwilling to burden JJ anymore, he just said simply, "I have no idea."

They sat in silence for a moment. "For a minute, he just...he seemed like Will." She laughed mirthlessly "How pathetic is it that I'm a scared little FBI agent? Maybe Hotch is right--"

"Maybe he's not." Morgan interrupted. He couldn't let JJ go down this path of self doubt again.

"But--"

"But, nothing." Morgan insisted.

"Thanks Derek." She smiled as they sat in comfortable silence.

Morgan smiled as he saw Emily quickly exit the precinct, obviously having the same idea of comforting their friend. He looked at JJ for comformation, and at the slight nod of her head, unlocked the door just long enough for Emily to slide in.

"You did good in there." Emily said encouragingly.

"Yeah, other than getting terrified of an unsub and getting in trouble by my boss." JJ laughed sarcastically.

"Hotch was just being--well. Hotch." Emily tried to defend their boss, but really had no respect for the man who would attack JJ after everything she'd been through.

"If I can't do my job because I'm scared of--" JJ started, tears threatening to fall once more.

"With everything that we see in this job, I've learned one thing," Emily interrupted, hoping her words would not only help the blonde, "The worst monsters out there don't have eight legs or live under the bed. The worst monsters live next door, in our own homes, or down the street. People are really the only things we _should_ be afraid of, and I think that after everything you've been through, you deserve to have a little breakdown."

Morgan nodded, feeling slightly enlightened by Emily's advice. "Emily's right JJ."

"I know, but can we just stay here for a while?" JJ asked, curling into Morgan's side, "I can't see him right now."

"Sure little mama" Morgan answered as Emily let Reid into the other side of the front seat.

The group sat in silence before Reid finally asked the question that had been nagging at him since he saw Morgan enter the car. "What are we doing in the SUV?" He asked softly, genuinely curious.

"I just....I feel safe here." JJ admitted.

"Oh. I was kind of hoping we were going out for lunch." Reid chimed in seriously, his stomach growling as the others laughed.

* * *

"Hotch, what the hell were you thinking?!" Rossi yelled angrily. "You and I both know she's been abused, heavily."

"I know." Hotch said degectedly.

"You're the one who risked everything to down and convince her to come back, and now you make yourself out to be just like the bastard who did that to her! I can't even begin to understand this." Rossi fumed.

"Dave, I--"

"No! You had no right! With Morgan's PTSD, we ignored it and pretended like it was normal." Rossi continued, "When Garcia was shot, we helped, but then once she was back at work we forgot about it--let her deal with it on her own time. Why cut them a break but not a blonde who has suffered more than a war victim?"

"You're right." Hotch admitted, "How can I fix this?"

* * *

**_AN/ As always, we'd love to know what you think!_**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Neither does SSBAILEY**

**_AN/I just want to thank every body for the awesome reviews! We totally appreciate it!_**

* * *

Chapter 6

Hours later, JJ and the others reentered the small precinct. It cut Hotch to see her purposefully avoid him, standing aloof as the others gathered up the team's stuff for the quick journey home.

Realizing that any attempt to explain and apologize now would be ill recieved by everyone--including JJ--Hotch decided to let his apology wait until they were alone later, though he would have to explain his actions individually to every member of the team.

Finally arriving back at Quantico an hour later everyone spread out to make their way home. Hotch knew he had to do it now; he had to tell her how sorry he was. Hotch hated to admit it--but he knew why he was harder on JJ then he was on anyone else.

"JJ, can I talk to you?" He asked, running up behind her. He heard JJ's breath hitch, knowing that she was avoiding him. He couldn't blame her, he'd been far from professional.

"Sure." JJ said worriedly, not knowing if she could handle Hotch yelling at her. He'd been the one who'd gotten her to where she was now--safe from Will, at least for the time being. She tried not to dwell on the dread that was filling her when she thought of Will, deciding that she'd face the first hurdle in front of her first.

"I--uh--just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier." Hotch began, the words were hard. He had too much pride to be well versed in apologies, he hardly ever gave them. He contiued feebly, hoping that it would be enough. "I was, as you put it a few years ago, a bully."

JJ just nodded. He'd been a jerk, she could agree with that. But Hotch had done a lot for her--she owed it to him to hear his apology out. On the other hand, she had heard enough apologies from men to fill a lifetime.

"I was completely out of line. I am harder on you than any other member of this team, and it was unrealistic of me to expect you to bounce back immediately after three years." Hotch admitted. "And I--"

"Stop please." JJ commanded, slightly forcefully--she had already had enough of a blow to her self esteem today without Hotch adding another hit by saying she wasn't back like she used to be, "I think it's time for me to get my own place again. Henry needs stability and we can't live with you forever."

"JJ, you can stay with me as long as you want--I thought you knew that." Hotch added before suddenly realizing that she _had_ known that, she just didn't _want _to stay with him anymore. "But do what you think is best."

"Look, I'm going to be honest and tell you that I already contacted my old landlord earlier. My old apartment is mine again as of noon today." JJ admitted, "We'll be out of your hair before tomorrow."

"I am sorry." Hotch said lamely, defeated that his apology had failed so miserably.

"I know." JJ offered with a slight smile.

* * *

Hours later after the last box was moved, and for the most part unpacked, in JJ's apartment, she started to let her mind wander. Garcia was keeping Henry for the night at the base, so she was all alone to remember the beginnings of her relationship with Will.

Placing the finishing touches on the entry way table, she remembered the day that Will moved in with her--how happy they were, how much he said he loved her, how much she _did_ love him.

She smiled as she sat on the furniture that came with the apartment--same couch as before. She relaxed slightly, grateful for the familiarity that the apartment brought as her eyes continued to scan the apartment. Sure she had the team, but so much had changed--it was nice to be somewhere that still felt the same.

JJ's security was quickly pulled out from under her as she noticed a spot on the arm rest of the couch--blood--suddenly remembering the violent act that had stained the couch. She remembered vividly both the act and the aftermath--scrubbing desparately in vain to remove the stain of her own blood before Will came home the next day. The smell of Will's breath as he came home drunk, Henry crying in the crib in the next room, the taste of blood in her mouth as she tried to keep Will from going after their son--all flooded back at her as though she were experiencing it again.

Quickly getting up off the couch, she moved to a different room, hoping for the results to be different. She examined her efficiency in unpacking all of her newly purchased kitchen supplies as she walked into one of her favorite rooms in the house. Her hand unconsciously found the dent in the formica that came from the night before she and Will moved to Lousianna and she tried to block out the memory of how her head felt as it slammed into the countertop.

Suddenly, JJ realized she was alone. Not just alone to remember the beginnings of her relationship with Will, but alone to remember the abuse, the yelling, and the---she couldn't come to grips with _that_ just yet. The security that she had felt in the apartment before was now nonexistant. The apartment was mocking her, reveling in the fact that it knew almost all of JJ's secrets--all of the ones before she left.

Realizing that once she'd allowed herself to remember the past, there was no going back--she couldn't stay here, in this apartment. Quickly packing a small overnight bag she climbed into the small car she'd rented until she could purchase something more permanent. She managed to hold the tears back until she pulled away from the curb, unsure of where she was going, but knowing she had to get out of there.

She thought about going to find Garcia on the base, but realized she didn't want Henry to see her like this--he'd already seen enough. Emily and her happy little family was something she just couldn't handle right now, and Reid's happiness with Austin was something she didn't want to jepordize by showing up in the middle of the night. Realizing she had no idea where Rossi lived--not that she would go there anyway--she vetoed him in her mind too, driving towards what she hoped was still Morgan's apartment.

As soon as she pulled up to the apartment complex, her mind reminded her that Morgan's mom was in town and he was over at his sisters. Sighing heavily she started driving again, only to pull over at a small coffee shop. Wiping the runny mascara from her cheeks she pulled her hair up before climbing out of the car and entering Wanda's Waffles.

Sitting at the bar of the almost empty 24 hour coffee shop, JJ ordered a small cup of coffee and started to contemplate her next move when she noticed someone familiar in the back corner booth staring out the window.

"Here you go honey" the older waitress said as she handed over JJ's coffee.

"Thanks" JJ smiled weakly, placing a five on the counter, "Just keep the change."

Stealing herself, she quietly made her way over and sat down in front of Hotch, who hadn't even noticed her enter the restaurant. Taking in his dishevaled appearance with his suit jacket gone, tie undone, and sleeves rolled up, she decided to take pity on him and let him know she was there.

"Couldn't sleep?" she offered, causing him to jump slightly.

"JJ? What are you doing here? It's two in the morning."

"I wanted waffles?" JJ suggested, unwilling to admit to him once more that she wasn't able to handle life on her own.

"So you got a cup of coffe?" Hotch mused, then realizing that this was the perfect opportunity for him to repair the damage he had inflicted, started, "JJ, I've thought about what happened and I am truly sorry, I had no right to say the things I did."

"I know, it's okay." JJ answered, offering a small smile--the smile growing larger as she watched his shoulders relax a little in relief.

"So why are you really here?" Hotch asked, running his fingers up and down the side of his coffee cup, "I mean no offense to Wanda, but this isn't exact the best coffee in the world--Reid makes better than this."

"You mean he still doesn't know how to make decent coffee?" JJ asked incredulously. "I guess with all that sugar he adds it doesn't matter what the coffee tastes like."

"I guess not." Hotch smirked, glad to be spending time with JJ. "So?"

Sighing tiredly, JJ decided it was probably best to just tell him--he'd keep asking until she did anyways, "I couldn't stay there, in that apartment--it just brought back too many bad memories." she admitted. JJ fell silent, not knowing if she could explain further.

"When Hailey left, I couldn't be in the house for weeks. Every crevice of the place reminded me of her. It didn't seem fair that the house stayed there but the home was far gone. I eventually had to buy new furniture because I couldn't stand using the couches, seats and bed that we had bought together." Hotch opened up, hoping that if he showed JJ the feelings he had, that she'd understand that he wanted to help her. He wanted to know that he was there for her, and that while it was hard, he was trying to understand which she had been through. It seemed strange that he could understand serial killers, but not people he cared about--like JJ.

"Do you still miss her?" JJ asked after a moment of silence. "When I left, you missed her so much, do you still?"

"Not as much this time." Hotch said, breathing in as he saw JJ's confused look. "Right after you left, we tried to make it work again, and it did work--for a few months. But then the same problems cropped up--she didn't like how much I worked, when I was home, we didn't do anything but argue. It progressively got worse, I spent most nights in my office while she spent them in bed with our neighbor. Finally, it just seemed like nothing was ever going to get resolved and she left. Again."

Silence came between the pair as JJ struggled for words. "I'm sorry."

"I know." Hotch replied, causing the two to laugh at the irony of the situation--the roles having just been reversed.

"Alright I have a plan." JJ announced, taking a sip of coffee.

"What kind of plan?"

"A plan to get us out of this funk we're in--the past shouldn't define us." JJ pointed out, "Think of it as a 12 step program for people who suck at finding true happiness."

"Should I be offended that you think I'm someone who needs a 12 step program for this?" Hotch teased, ignoring the small glare she shot him, "Okay, sorry. What's step one?"

"Step one is 'Don't let yourself get so caught up in thinking about the past that you forget about the present'." JJ informed. "Step two is 'Make peace with the people who burned you, if you can'."

"Including Strauss?" Hotch smirked, allowing himself to let go a little.

"No, Strauss stays on the 'People we hate' list. I'm talking about ex's, family members, people like that." JJ clairified, "Step three is 'Be confident that you're enough for someone to care about'."

"And step four?" Hotch asked, feeling himself brightening.

"I haven't thought of that yet, but I have a feeling that steps one through three will take me long enough to give me leeway to figure out step four." JJ explained sheepishly.

"JJ." Hotch said seriously, finally finding the courage to ask the question that was on his mind. "Are you ever going to tell me about Will?"

JJ moaned quietly. "I wasn't really planning on it."

"Will you?" Hotch asked, his voice piercing JJ. She breathed in loudly and nodded.

"I don't know what to say. From what I've heard, he's still in Louisiana, but he's tried calling. Garcia's sweet and tried to delete all the messages, but I don't need to listen to them to know what they say."

"Okay" Hotch nodded, hoping that she might open up more on the subject later, "Where are you planning on sleeping tonight?"

"Tonight? It's almost 2:30 in the morning." JJ smiled.

Hotch just looked at her searchingly.

"The BAU?" JJ tossed out sheepishly, "I was kind of hoping to just crash on the couch in your office for a few hours and shower at Garcia's before work."

"Stay at the house" Hotch offered, continuing at her unsure look, "Trust me, that couch in my office is extremely uncomfortable, and the house is only ten minutes away."

JJ thought for a moment, the prospect of returning to her own apartment seemed more than she could bear--her bruised ego could wait, "okay." She smiled as she sipped her coffee.

* * *

**_AN/ As always, we'd love to know what you think!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Neither does SSBAILEY**

**_AN/We just want to thank every body for the awesome reviews! We totally appreciate it!_**

* * *

CHAPTER 7

"JJ, are you ready to go?" Hotch asked as he turned off the car in the bureau parking lot. Everyone was arriving for the day, he had just seen Reid entering the elevator through the glass doors and could see Emily kissing her husband goodbye as she was dropped off at work. JJ had apparently seen Emily's family and seemed to be watching them intently. He had noticed how JJ seemed to avoid Emily more than she used to, but was at odds of how to explain it.

JJ looked away in pain as she saw Emily open the back door of the small SUV and presumably kiss her daughter goodbye. Taking a deep breath, she answered, "Yeah, Let's go."

Mentally cataloging her reactions to seeing Emily kiss her baby goodbye, Hotch climbed out of the car. "What do you think of having the team over on Saturday?" He questioned, "They really haven't gotten to spend any time with you outside of work since you've been back."

"Erm, yeah. That'd be great." JJ said, obviously distracted in her own thoughts as she exited the car and began walking slowly enough to not catch up with Emily to ride the elevator up to their floor.

Emily, however, seemed to sense JJ's presence and turned around to see both Hotch and JJ walking slowly behind her. Stopping, so they could catch up, Hotch didn't miss the slight groan that JJ quickly stifled before she smiled at her friend.

"Oh, I have the cutest picture of Meri to show you..." Emily started to look quickly through her bag.

"Agent Jareau?" a taller female agent interrupted, nearly out of breath from running. "Section Chief Strauss sent me to find you and bring you to her office immediately."

"Sorry, Em. I've gotta go." JJ apologized, secretly glad to be ending the conversation, "Why does Strauss need to see me?" JJ asked, falling in step with the female agent as they headed into the building and into the elevator.

"All I know is that someone is waiting in her office to speak with you, Agent Jareau."

"No idea what it's about?" JJ asked as they reached the right floor.

"Not really, but whoever it is was accompanied by Secret Service Agents." The other agent replied as they reached the door to Strauss's office, "I'm sorry I don't know anything else."

"It's okay, see you around." JJ smiled, taking a deep breath before she opened the door to Strauss's office.

"Good afternoon Agent Jareau." Strauss offered, standing to introduce the man in her office, "This is Secretary Timothy Geithner of the Treasury Department. He is here to request to Behavioral Analysis Unit's help in finding a leak in his department that threatens national security."

JJ fought a groan. _This is turning into a great day. A mole in the treasury department, what are the going to do? Steal our money? Oh wait, that's the IRS's job. _JJ thought to herself cynically. "I'll get the team together."

JJ began to make her way to Hotch's office when she was stopped. "JJ, I'm so glad to see you!" Kevin shouted, running up to her. "I know you can talk some sense into my Penny."

"Kevin, I don't know how to help you. I don't know if its the best idea for me to get involved." JJ said, hoping that Kevin would take her word for it and find out another way.

"No, you can do this. I know it. She's taking a ridiculous stand on this..." Kevin began, cutting himself off abruptly. "Please JJ, I just want my wife back."

JJ began shifting her weight from leg to leg, not sure what to say. She had no idea why Garcia even left, let alone how she could possibly get the couple back together.

"Kevin, I really have to go find Hotch, but I'll see what I can do." JJ answered, "I'm not promising anything though."

"I understand. Thank you so much!" Kevin smiled as JJ took off quickly towards Hotch's office to find him hanging up the phone.

"Hey JJ, do you mind if Jack comes over for the weekend? That was Hailey, she's going to her sister's and she needs me to watch him." Hotch explained, "Her sister is having a baby."

"Hotch it's your house, you can have over whoever you want, but I think Henry would love to have someone to play with." JJ smiled, "That is if we can solve this case in time to actually have a decent weekend."

"What case?"

"The Treasury Department has a leak and the Secretary of the Treasury just made a personal visit down here to ask for our assistance."

"Great." Hotch groaned uncharacteristically. He had run ins with the Treasury Secretary before, and had never liked the man. "Meet in the conference room in five minutes?" He suggested.

"I'll gather the team." JJ nodded, quickly leaving the room.

* * *

Twenty minutes after briefing the team, the unit arrived at the Treasury office, ready to find the mole that threatened national security. The team walked in purposefully when JJ stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of a certain Secret Service Agent. "Devon?" She asked happily, causing the team to look curiously at the man that had elicited such an odd reaction from JJ who had avoided most of them at all costs.

"JJ?" The man whipped around to check and see if it was really her.

"I haven't seen you in ages!" JJ smiled, walking up to shake his hand.

"It's been what, like 5 years?" Devon asked, ignoring the hand and wrapping JJ in a hug.

JJ quickly pulled away, feeling her stomach churn slightly, though incredibly happy to see her old friend again. "Yeah, something like that." She smiled politely, but with far less enthusiasm than earlier.

"I thought I heard you left the FBI?" Devon pressed slightly, desiring to catch up on old times.

"Erm, yeah." JJ was suddenly at a loss for words. "I, um, just got reinstated about two weeks ago."

Sensing she was hiding something, but not really wanting to talk about it, Devon backed off a little, "So what brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"I'm here with my team." JJ supplied, "Apparently the Secretary thinks we're capable of handling a situation he has."

"Oh watch out for him JJ. He's married, but that hasn't stopped him from trying to get into every woman's pants he meets." Devon informed.

JJ shuddered involuntarily. "Just what I need." She muttered under her breath.

* * *

"Any luck?" JJ asked as Hotch stood next to her at the coffee machine. They had been there a little of two hours and had already narrowed the suspect list down to three disgruntled Treasury workers who were stuck on the bottom of the totem pole. The problem now arising was trying to find out which one it was. All three had been passed over for promotion after promotion, working at starting government pay, all three were likely suspects. JJ was discovering that if when the team looked into the CIA was anything like this, she was glad that she was stuck in Quantico with Garcia.

"We found our guy. Micheal Clancy has ties to the Marrano crime family, which has a record for counterfeitting large sums of money." Hotch told her, a smile twitching in the corners of his mouth. He was pretty impressed with his team, they had found a mole in less than three hours, a new record. He found it more than a little preposterous that they had been stuck doing this when there were serious crimes to solve. There was absolutely no reason that this had to be a BAU case.

"Great, I'll go tell the Secretary of Treasury." JJ informed him, a fake smile blossoming on her face.

"Want me to go with you?" Hotch offered, "I heard what your friend said about him."

"Maybe you could just wait outside the door? Just in case he does get a little out of hand?" JJ questioned, "I don't want to take any chances."

"Of course." Hotch assured her as they made their way to the man's office. Stopping outside the door JJ sighed deeply, gathering her courage. Feeling ready, she pushed the door open. Hotch, standing outside the door could hear every word.

"Mr. Secretary, a word?" JJ asked politely.

"For you darling, anything." Geithner smiled, causing her breathing to accellerate.

"We have identified the leak in your department."

"Well, isn't that something." Geithner mused, coming to stand next to JJ. "Who is it?"

JJ fought the nervousness that accompanied the close proximity to this man. "Why don't you join my team back in the conference room and they can fill you in?" She suggested.

"Or, you and I could stay here, alone, together--" The Secretary mused.

JJ was completely at odds of what to do, feeling herself falling into a 'deer in the headlights' moment. Fortunately, Hotch wasn't slow and picked that very moment to enter the office. "Secretary Geithner, our team has advised the Secret Service of Michael Clancy as your leak and they are arresting him as we speak. If there is nothing else, we all have to get back to Quantico."

Smiling JJ moved to stand next to Hotch, "Yes, I'm sorry we have to leave so soon. It's just that we're having a welcome home party at our house tomorrow afternoon."

A quickly masked look of disbelief passed over the Secretary's face as he caught JJ's meaning of 'our' house, "Please tell your team thank you for solving our problem so quickly, Agent Hotchner. That will be all we need your help for at this time."

"Very well." Hotch nodded, he and JJ turning to walk out the door--his hand placed securely on the small of her back, something Secretary Geithner didn't miss. He felt his spirits soar, even pretending to be with JJ seemed too much happiness to handle. Hotch cleared his throat awkwardly, knowing that he was getting to far ahead of himself. JJ wasn't ready and it would be a long time before she was--even if she did want him.

"Well Hotch, if I got my say, you'd get an Oscar." JJ said happily as they entered the elevator. Hotch smiled as he heard her, the voice that had been so consumed with anguish was finally getting some of it's former light back, even if for just a moment.

"Please JJ, you carried our performance." Hotch teased back. He had never been particularly funny, but she brought out something different in him--something no one else ever saw. He realized that he had never removed his hand, awkwardly putting it back in his pocket, hoping that he hadn't made JJ feel awkward in anyway.

"I've never liked Geithner, he's a pompous know-it-all." Hotch smiled, sure that he wasn't quite ready to reveal his real reason to the blonde.

"Not to mention he gives me the creeps." JJ added, a disgusted look on her face. "I'm just glad we managed to still get some sort of a weekend."

"Oh, yeah me too." Hotch added, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from breaking into a full blown grin, "Hailey wants us to just pick Jack up on the way home, that okay?"

"Sure." JJ smiled, "By the way, is he allergic to anything? I was thinking of making sugar cookies with Henry and Jack later for when everyone comes over, but I won't if he's allergic to eggs or flour or some of the toppings."

"He's allergic to peanut butter and pineapple."

"Well, I guess I won't be able to make peanut butter and pineapple cookies." JJ teased. "Although I guess my second choice would be chocolate chip."

* * *

**_AN/ As always, we'd love to know what you think!_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_AN/This is a smaller chapter, so ENJOY! :) Neither I, nor SSBAILEY own Criminal Minds._**

* * *

Chapter 8

JJ stood in front of the open oven door, carefully examining the funeral potatoes to make sure the cheese on top was melting nicely.

"JJ, you really don't have to do this. It's _your_ party after all." Hotch pointed out.

"Oh, it's nothing. It probably won't taste that great anyway." JJ dismissed. "What are Jack and Henry up to?"

"They're still playing in the fort you built them last night." Hotch answered, leaning back against the counter as JJ started mixing the pasta salad, "Do you want me to get Henry dressed?"

"If you want to, you don't have to." JJ answered, adding the dressing to the different types of pasta, "But if you do don't let him talk you into wearing his shirt with the truck on it _again. _He's worn it everyday this week. I'm a terrible mother." She muttered the last sentence slightly as she took the marinaded meat out to the barbeque.

"Got it. Can't wear the truck shirt." Hotch smiled as JJ didn't even address him, seemingly caught up in making sure each dish was perfect. It pained him every time she slightly put herself down, but the more he had tried to assure her, the worse it got--as such he had learned quickly to let her have her comments.

* * *

"Okay boys, we need to stop playing for a minute." Hotch called as he approached the makeshift fort.

Jack's head peaked out from inside the sheet-made fort, "Aww, dad, do we have to?"

"Yes. We need to get changed and ready for the party, then you boys can play some more." The two young boys begrudgingly exited the fort. Hotch couldn't help but chuckle at how four year old Henry mimicked Jack's pouting as they climbed the stairs slowly.

"Okay, Henry, what shirt do you want to wear?" Hotch asked.

"Trucks!" Henry responded immediately.

"Sorry buddy, your mom said no. What else?"

"I want to wear my truck shirt!" Henry insisted.

"What about the dinosaurs?" Hotch suggested hopefully.

"Okay." Henry groaned, obviously not happy with the choice.

* * *

"Jayje! We're here!" Garcia yelled as she and Morgan entered the unlocked front door.

"In the kitchen!" JJ called back to her friends.

"Wow, Jayje, who are you planning on feeding? The national guard?" Garcia laughed as she saw the various dishes JJ had prepared for the barbeque.

"I just didn't want anybody to go away hungry." JJ defended, smiling.

"Yeah, well I know that my chocolate oasis here is like a bottomless pit, but this seems too far." Garcia laughed.

"Yea, yea." JJ added, hearing the door open again.

"JJ?!" Reid called, and followed by a loud crash.

Heading towards the door from the kitchen, Morgan, JJ, and Garcia had to laugh at the sight in front of them. Reid had tripped on the rug in the entryway, launching the desert straight onto Austin's shirt. "Well you sure know how to make an entrance, Reid." Morgan laughed, helping him up.

"I've got a shirt upstairs you can wear today while we wash that one, if you want." JJ offered to an obviously uncomfortable chocolate pudding covered Austin.

"Oh bless you!" Austin smiled gratefully, following JJ up the stairs as Garcia went to get a wash cloth to clean the small amount of pudding that was on the floor.

"So, we haven't actually met, I'm JJ." JJ smiled politely as she quickly studied the other woman.

"Austin. I've heard a ton about you, everyone's really happy you're back." Austin said warmly.

"Here, try these, when you're done I can throw your top in the wash." JJ handed her several possible shirts that could work. "I'll just wait outside the door until you're done."

"Oh okay. Thanks so much for doing this." Austin smiled as JJ walked towards the bedroom door.

"It's no problem." JJ smiled, closing the door behind her.

A few minutes later Austin emerged from JJ's room wearing one of her solid colored t-shirts, and holding the pudding covered top in her hand delicately.

"I should know better than to wear nice shirts around Spencer, but I guess I should have learned." Austin laughed.

"Yeah, I think we've all learned about Spence's gracefulness one way or another." JJ laughed, "you can go join everybody, I'll take care of this."

"Erm, JJ?" Austin called, stopping her before she could rush the shirt to the laundary. "I---" Austin stopped as though she wasn't sure if she should broach the subject.

"Yeah?" JJ prodded. She had just met Reid's leading lady but immediately trusted her--something that didn't usually come so easily.

"I...I saw the...uh.." She motioned to the scar on the back of JJ's neck.

JJ, mortified, immediately covered the back of her neck with her hand, not realizing that rustling with the preperations had left her neck exposed. "Oh, it's nothing." JJ dismissed as she tried to come up with an explanation, "I just--"

"Look, I'm not here to judge. I've just...I've been there. It's how I ended up a bartender in Atlanta." Austin smiled, "We have to stick together. I just wanted you to know, it _does_ get easier." She said as she walked off.

"Thanks." JJ muttered as she watched the retreating figure, unsure of whether she should be grateful for the support or sickened by the intrusion to her privacy. Choosing the former, JJ walked purposefully to the laundary room, intent on removing the stain from the brunette's shirt.


	9. Chapter 9

**_AN/This is another short one, but we thought there was a lot to digest. Hope you like it!_**

CHAPTER 9

Austin immediately found the group just outside. Somewhere in the pudding fiasco, Emily and her family had arrived and the group had moved to the backyard. As she approached the group, she couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Spencer holding baby Merideth while Emily and her husband searched frantically for a bottle in the small diaper bag.

"Who knows, Reid, maybe one day soon you'll have one of these." Brian suggested teasingly as he located the prepared bottle and Emily accepted her own daughter from Reid's quivering arms.

"Oh, um...I...kids. We don't get along." Reid defended looking at Austin questioningly.

"Well that does a lot of good since your that little boy's godfather" Emily pointed to Henry who was currently playing with his trucks on the green grass, "and I don't think that you've done anything with him since they've been back."

"You're his godfather?" Austin questioned him, surprised.

Reid nodded, gulping apprehensively, "But I don't--"

"No buts." Austin interrupted, "come on, we're going to go meet your godson and we're not leaving until you feel comfortable with him."

"Hey JJ!" Emily called "I was just about to feed Meri, would you like too instead?"

"You go ahead, I need to ask Hotch something." JJ answered back, making her way over to Hotch who stood watching Morgan and Garcia push Jack on the swingset.

"Somebody's having fun." JJ commented, a small smile on her face as she watched Jack giggle at something Garcia whispered. "I'm glad he got to come over this weekend."

"Me too." Hotch smiled.

"So not to ruin the mood or anything, but did everything go okay when you filed my divorce papers last week?" JJ asked, "I'm just ready to move on without Will."

"I understand" Hotch reassured, "Everything went well, now all we have to do is wait and see how Will reacts."

"And that's never good." JJ sighed, "Well at least it will finally be over soon."

* * *

"Hi Henry, can we play trucks too?" Austin asked sitting next to the boy who seemed interested in the baby in Emily's arms.

"I guess so." Henry said noncommittally.

"My name is Austin" Austin introduced as she and Reid sat down on the grass near him, "And this is...."

"That's Unc'a Spence." Henry smiled, "Mommy showed me everyones picture, theys her family."

Reid looked shocked, so Austin kept talking, "I bet she missed her family, they sure missed her."

Austin smiled as she watched Reid begin to quietly play with Henry, imagining what their kids could be like if he would just propose.

"I would have been a good big brother. I was practicing." Henry said, startling the two adults.

"What do you mean, buddy?" Austin asked.

"When mommy had my baby sister in her tummy I pretend like I was the big brother."

"What happened to your baby sister?" Reid asked.

"Daddy came home mean and when I woked up mommy said she losted baby Martha."

"I don't think she really meant that she literally lost Martha, I mean she didn't just misplace the baby." Reid sputtered, trying hard not to tell Henry the real truth, but being slightly uncomfortable.

Seeing Austin's warning glare, Reid stopped. The pause encouraged the little boy to continue, "Mommy was so sad."

Austin's heart broke for the woman she barely knew, yet felt a close kinship with. "I bet she was sad."

"But _shh_ don't tells anybody, it's a secrets. We don't talk abouts Martha anymore." Henry whispered.

"We won't tell anybody." Reid assured the little boy, promising himself that he would not disappoint his godson.

"Well maybe when you get older and Mommy falls in love again, you might have another baby brother or sister." Austin supplied, watching Henry for his reaction.

"Not with Daddy!"

"No buddy, not with Daddy." Austin clarified, "Someone very nice that doesn't hurt mommy."

"Like Unc'a Aaron?"

The couple turned to observe JJ and Hotch as they cooked the meat on the grill. To the untrained observer, it would have appeared as just friends working together, but Reid saw the way that Hotch watched JJ protectively. Austin immediately picked up on JJ's unguarded demeanor as Hotch stood in close proximity--not something that would happen easily.

"Yeah, buddy, maybe so." Austin smiled hopefully.

* * *

"Excuse me" A short, balding man said as he poked Reid's shoulder to gain his attention while the group was devouring the meal, "I'm from the Virgina Circuit Court. I'm looking for a Jennifer Jareau--this is the address she listed on her divorce papers."

"She's over there" Reid pointed to where JJ was helping Henry with his macaroni, "The blonde with the small child."

Reid, and the others, watched with curiosity as JJ kindly accepted a large envelope and the man left. They watched as she excused herself to open the item in private, though Reid still had a good vantage point from where he sat. He saw JJ's face pale and her hand cover her mouth in horror. He saw the confusion and fear that clouded her face, then he saw the quiet resolve and control that she quickly replaced it with. She quickly returned to the group, and approached her coworkers as though she knew she would have to break the news to them.

"Everything ok JJ?" Rossi asked, seated beside his new wife.

"Oh, it will be fine." JJ dismissed, though everyone but baby Merideth seemed to see right through her.

"What happened?" Emily asked concerned.

"Will's contesting the divorce." JJ announced. "I have to be in court Monday at 9am, Will wants primary custody."

* * *

**_AN/So...what did you think? Poor JJ, and things are just going to get a little more difficult. As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds._**


	10. Chapter 10

**_AN--We still don't own Criminal Minds. Thanks to everybody who's reviewed this story!_**

Chapter 10

The group stared at JJ in shock of her revelation. "He wants what?" Emily asked in shock. She knew only the very basics of what had happened to JJ, and the idea that Will was looking for primary custody of their son made Emily feel sick.

JJ fought for control of her emotions, "He wants primary custody. Excuse me." She said as she left the group and practically sprinted into the house, barely making it to the downstairs bathroom before getting sick.

"How could this happen?" Morgan asked angrily.

"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell not going to let that scumbag anywhere near her or Henry." Rossi said angrily.

"Me neither." Emily seconded, Reid agreeing with her.

"Just find me a computer and I'll wipe his sorry existence off the face of the earth!" Garcia promised, "Let's see how he likes being a ghost detainee at Gitmo!"

"Whoa Garcia, slow down. We'll do this my way, and if that doesn't work then we'll let you near a computer. Deal?" Hotch asked, the look in his eyes leaving room for no argument. "We each got where we are because we're the best at one thing or another. Let me call in a few favors in the local attorney community and see what I can come up with."

Austin, noticing that the team of profilers were plotting the downfall of the man who had tortured their friend. Unsure as to whether she should go support the blonde or join the team in their anger, she decided on the former. Walking in slowly to the house, she stopped momentarily, unsure as to where JJ would have gone and unwilling to call loudly enough to alert the team to the strong woman that had fled to the house.

Sighing heavily, she tried to remember what Spencer had always tried to teach her about profiling. _If I were JJ, where would I go? _First checking the kitchen, Austin then moved to the bathroom where she found the blonde curled up next to the toilet.

JJ looked up as Austin entered the room. Laughing to herself softly, she spoke quietly as Austin strained to hear "Pretty pathetic, huh?"

Austin sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. "No, I'd say you've been through a lot. Believe me, I understand."

"What am I going to do?" Austin heard her whisper, though she wasn't sure who JJ was talking to.

"Well you've got a whole group of people that seem intent on ending his existence." Austin smiled.

JJ chuckled slightly and Austin praised herself for making the blonde smile. "That's true." JJ admitted at the thought of her friends defending her. "But, how can I do this?"

Austin and JJ sat silently for a moment, the bond that the pair had discovered seemed to connect the two women deeper than years of friendship could have. "You're going to get up tomorrow morning. You're going to kiss that little boy of yours, and then you are going to go fight for your son." Austin said resolutely.

"I don't think I can do it anymore." JJ admitted in a small voice.

"You have to." Austin said simply, "you don't get a choice. You have to fight."

JJ seemed to savor Austin's words for a moment before squaring her shoulders resolutely. "You're right. If not just for Henry, but for me too."

"Ready to go back outside?" Austin asked, pulling herself up into a standing position and offering JJ a hand up.

"Absolutely." JJ answered, taking Austin's offered help and standing up. "Hey Austin?"

"Yeah?

"Thanks." JJ said, smiling at her new friend as they made their way back outside.

* * *

The group was still in the throngs of discussion when JJ and Austin returned. JJ smiled at the passion at which they were deciding her fate. "You know, it is a common myth that women are favored in custody cases, but a recent study showed that almost two-thirds of men that had been accused of battering their wives received sole or joint custody." Reid rambled, causing JJ's smile to fade immediately.

"Reid." Hotch warned, noticing JJ's presence and the color draining rapidly from her face.

"Another study suggests--"

"Spencer." Austin warned, elbowing him lightly in the ribs, causing him to stop.

"I can't let him near my son." JJ whispered fiercely.

"We know, JJ, we're here to help--" Rossi started, his wife nodding her confirmation.

"I know, and thanks. But, I need to do this on my own." JJ answered, sounding more like she was trying to steel herself for what was coming than talking to her friends.

* * *

Later after the team was gone, a knock on the door startled JJ, making her freeze on the spot. Determined not to be afraid, she carefully made her way to the door and looked through the peephole to find one of the bureau lawyers on the other side.

Opening the door quickly, she asked "SSA Sanchez? What are you doing here?"

"Hotch called me earlier, I'm your lawyer starting right now." The Latina woman answered, holding a hand out for JJ to shake, "And if we're going to be spending time together, please call me Elizabeth--only Strauss calls me SSA Sanchez."

"I'm not sure what to say." JJ said as she let the woman into the front room of Hotch's home.

"There's not much to say, but let's get down to business, it's a custody dispute and divorce?" Elizabeth asked, pulling out a notebook.

"Yeah, Will--my husband--he's contesting the divorce." JJ clarified, not sure of what to say.

"He was abusive?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah." JJ admitted, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"It could happen to anyone." Elizabeth dismissed, "Physically?"

JJ simply nodded in reply.

"Do you have scars, markings, anything like that?" The lawyer asked.

JJ nodded once more, prompting Elizabeth to continue, "We're going to need pictures of as many injuries as we can catalogue. I need you to tell me what happened in each instance as best you can remember." She said sadly. She had heard great things about the legendary Jennifer Jareau, who in a few short years at the bureau had managed to make a huge impact on one of the top units in the entire FBI, and she wasn't about to let her lose to an abusive ex-husband.

* * *

"JJ, are you sure you don't want me to come?" Hotch asked as he turned off the car in front of the county courthouse. JJ had insisted that she didn't want him to come, and he suspected that she didn't want to appear weak in front of him. Little did she know that could never happen.

"Hotch, I need to do this myself." JJ said softly.

"But you don't need to do it alone." Hotch said mirroring her tone.

"I'll call you at lunch. If it goes really badly, then you can come for support." She compromised.

"Okay." He agreed as she smiled and left the car quickly.

Once JJ was out of sight, Hotch quickly parked the car and entered the courthouse behind her. She had begged him not to come to the hearing, but he wasn't about to go back to work when she could be suffering. Waiting in a corridor close by, he was determined to support her until he knew that she was going to be all right.

* * *

"Okay JJ, how we doing? You gonna be okay with seeing him in there?" Elizabeth Sanchez asked, "Just remember what we talked about, there's no way he can hurt you--I'll be right there with you."

Taking a deep breath, JJ nodded, "I'll be okay, I just want to get this over with, and move on."

"It's going to be ugly." Her lawyer warned.

"It's been ugly for a long time." JJ admitted, stepping inside the courtroom.

Entering the court room they found Will and his attorney already seated on their side of the small court room. Keeping herself calm and confident JJ avoided looking in his direction, even though she felt his eyes burning into her back.

"Please rise for the Honorable Judge Patricia Matthews" the bailiff announced as the judge entered the courtroom.

"Thank you, please be seated."

JJ tried to keep her eyes forward, avoiding any contact with the man who had done so much to her. Even being in the same room as him felt like too much to handle. JJ's palms began to sweat and shake, she tried to be like Reid for a second, trying to lose herself in facts. Her palms were being affected by the epinephrine pulsing through her system. Epinephrine or Adrenaline, would be active within her the entire time the threat was present. She should expect to crash when this was all over, once the Adrenaline stopped. Her blissful retreat was soon interrupted by Will's first witness.

"Mrs. LaMontagne is a diagnosed manic-depressive with suicidal thoughts and self-mutilating tendencies. Her husband has done nothing but try to protect her from herself and now, she has lashed out at him, likely due to her not taking her medication. If there is a victim in this case, it is William LaMontagne. He has done nothing to deserve this. Here he stood by his wife as she threw herself down a flight of stairs, killing their unborn child. In her desperate attempts to kill herself, she has endangered not only herself, but her husband and child. If I were Billy, I'd be filing for sole custody. But through true Christ-like compassion, he is allowing his wife to remain involved in young Henry's life." Doc Hendricks said. JJ should've known that he'd been one of Will's witnesses. The man was the one who'd seen her every time Will knocked her unconscious and told her that it was her fault.

JJ now tried to be Morgan. She began to picture this man as weak and stupid as he was. The doctor on the stand was the one who'd _diagnosed_her with Manic-Depression. He only told her she was because he said that there was no way that Will could've done this to her for no reason. She must've been attacking him or out of control. _Yeah, like a burn on my back could be self inflicted. _JJ thought spitefully.

"Agent Sanchez do you have any questions for this witness?" the judge asked.

"Yes your honor." JJ's lawyer answered, gathering the photo's of JJ scars and injuries, "I'd like to enter into evidence these documented photo's of my clients multiple injuries as documented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"Very well, you may proceed with the witness." Judge Matthews answered.

"Thank you." SSA Sanchez nodded, turning towards the witness, "Doctor Hendricks how long have you been the LaMontagne family doctor?"

"Since about a year before Billy got promoted to Police Chief, maybe about four years, but I've known him since we were babies."

"And you got your medical degree where?" SSA Sanchez prompted.

"Louisana State." Dr. Hendricks answered, slightly annoyed at JJ's lawyers line of questioning.

"And at Louisiana State did they teach you how the human body moves, how it operates?"

"Yes ma'am." Dr. Hendricks nodded.

"Then how do you explain my client's burns on her back being self-inflicted? Only a human contortionist would be able too reach that spot on their own back and stay in that position long enough to burn the tissue with a cigarette multiple times. And what about her cracked, and crudely healed, left rib cage? Did she kick herself in the ribs? Or the greenstick fracture documented by our experts that appears in her arm? For that fracture to occur someone would have to have turned her arm until it snapped. It's not possible for that kind of injury to be self inflicted Doctor Hendricks--but you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Billy admitted that he grabbed her, but only because she was trying to hurt herself." Doc Hendricks dismissed, "Her ribs were because she tried yet again to hurt herself by throwing herself into a counter, and the burns are from where she lay on a burning cigarette when she didn't want to do it in a place, like her arms, that Billy could see. That poor boy had to check everyday that she was taking her medication--one day he found out that she had been flushing it down the toilet." Doc shook his head sadly, "Then he had to monitor her taking them everyday. Like I said, if there's a victim in this marriage, it's Billy."

JJ shuddered, the feeling of humiliation that she felt in her life with Will coming back to hit her full force. He had been so angry about the pills, but it was just another thing that he could hold over her head.

"Because it's more likely that a woman who has undergone multiple evaluations at the FBI is suddenly correctly diagnosed by a backwoods doctor." SSA Sanchez scoffed.

"Excuse me?"

"My opinion is irrelevant. You said in your report that my client suffered a miscarriage last year?" SSA Sanchez questioned.

"Yes, I have no idea why the poor girl threw herself down the stairs six months in, but it's what caused her to lose little Martha."

"Martha?"

"It's what Billy told me they were going to name her, it was his grandma's name." Doctor Hendricks informed.

"Dr. Hendricks, in a few hours we are going to put a different doctor up here on the stand and he will affirm that there is no way that these injuries could be self-inflicted. How would you respond?" JJ's lawyer asked.

"I know Billy, I have for ages. There is no way that he would do those things to the woman he loved." The man on the stand affirmed.

JJ had currently been trying to control herself like Emily would have, compartmentalizing all of the anger and hurt that she felt. Emily had taught her to do it once, imagining putting that anger into a box and shutting the lid, as though nothing could affect that now. But her control was quickly lost as she listened to the man on the stand describe her marriage from an outside perspective. She knew Will was cunning, that he could put on a charming atmosphere, but the idea that she would purposefully hurt her own child was sickening.

"In your report on my client it states that you recommended my client be committed to a mental institution for suicidal tendencies, why is it that you felt Agent Jareau was unstable, other than the fact that you believe that she tried to kill herself the night that her unborn child died?"

"Mrs. LaMontagne was a danger to herself, but she was becoming a danger to others. Billy called me late one night while she was sleeping and brought their son Henry, who was about a year old at the time, to see me. The boy had a minor concussion." JJ bit her lip to stop the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks at the innuendo. She couldn't help but glance at her husband, who looked directly at her as he sat with a smug grin.

"We have nothing further, Your Honor." SSA Sanchez declared as she sat next to JJ and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's not as bad as it sounded." She whispered encouragingly to the blonde.

"Court will recess for lunch and reconvene at 1:30." Judge Matthews declared.

* * *

Exiting the courtroom quickly, JJ was barely hanging on to her emotions--her only relief was seeing the one person that could make her feel safe right now waiting patiently on a bench outside the court room. "Hotch, what are you doing here?" She blurted out.

"I figured you might need me so I stayed after I dropped you off, and I had Dave put the team on stand down until after this is over." He explained.

"Oh." She offered lamely, sitting down on the bench next to him.

"So, how did it go?" He asked tentatively.

"Pretty much like every day of my marriage, but worse because everyone was watching." JJ admitted, holding onto her emotions. "I got blamed for everything....nothing new." She dismissed.

"I'm sorry." Hotch offered.

JJ nodded, lost in her own thoughts slightly.

"Do you want to go get something to eat?"

"I'd like that." JJ smiled, pulled from the guilt that she was reflecting upon.

When they finally reached the safety of Hotch's SUV, JJ couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Quickly letting her climb into the back seat, Hotch followed before closing the door and letting his arms wrap around the sobbing blonde.

"Hey sshh...everything is going to be okay, JJ. I promise." He soothed gently as he rocked back and forth slightly.

"They said everything was all my fault" JJ sputtered, clinging to his waist, "They said I was the one torturing myself the entire time, and I found out today that Henry had a concussion and Will took him to see the doctor in the middle of the night so I wouldn't know--the doctor said I gave it to him, not Will."

Hotch felt his blood boil as he held his sobbing friend. He had seen first hand the bruises and scars that JJ possessed, and was aware that she reserved several scars from his view, but the idea that this woman had hurt herself and her own son in this manner was absurd. "JJ, it'll be okay." He assured her, praying that his promise wouldn't turn out to be false. "I'll do everything I can to make sure everything will be okay, I promise."


	11. Chapter 11

**_AN/ Here's the next part of the courtroom scene. We hope you like it!_**

Chapter 11-

"Are you sure you don't want me to come in there?" Hotch asked as he walked JJ back to the courtroom. "I'm one of the expert witnesses later so I could just stay until they need me on the stand if you want."

"I'll be fine." JJ dismissed, though he could see her anxiety from a mile away by the way she clenched her fists tightly.

"Why don't you want me to come?" He asked.

"Because then you'll know what happened." She admitted honestly, "you'll think I'm weak."

"JJ, I could never think you were weak, and if you don't want me to come inside until it's my turn to testify, that's fine. But I want to be there to support you."

JJ seemed to contemplate Hotch's proposal. "Fine. I guess you'd find out about everything anyway." She sighed resignedly.

Entering the court room JJ felt her blood boil as she noticed Will's smug grin as he watched her walk into the court room. Hotch seemed to pick up on her anger, and placed a calming hand on the small of her back--which made her smile because it did, in fact calm her down, and it wiped Will's stupid grin off his face.

Once the judge entered again, Will's attorney called his last witness. "Your Honor I'd like to call retired DCPD detective Charles Marshall to the stand."

The judge nodded, and Detective Marshall took the stand diligently, "Mr. Marshall what do you do for a living now that you are retired from the DCPD?" Will's lawyer asked.

"I'm a private investigator."

"And what can you tell us about Ms. LaMontagne's actions since she you have been monitoring her movements for the past two weeks?" Will's lawyer questioned, and JJ almost threw up at the knowledge that someone had been following her since she'd been back to Virginia.

"Let's just say that Ms. LaMontagne doesn't waste anytime getting back in the saddle." Mashall spoke bluntly, "I have documented photos that she and the man sitting behind her are in a very physical relationship, it seems they can't even control themselves from having a quickie in the car during the recess just now."

"Excuse me?!" JJ blurted, unable to hold it in any longer.

"JJ calm down, I'll handle this when Garcia comes on the stand later." her attorney whispered.

"We would like to submit these photographs as evidence." Will's lawyer handed the judge and SSA Sanchez copies of the photos.

JJ almost laughed at the pictures that the PI had taken. One was of Hotch putting his arms around her comfortingly as she sat sobbing in the back of the SUV--obviously taken during the court recess. Another was of she and Hotch sitting on the couch in his home as they watch TV, his arm draped casually across the back of the couch.

"Any further questions for this witness?" The judge asked.

"No Your Honor." Will's attorney answered. "The defense rests."

"Do you have any questions for this witness SSA Sanchez?"

"No Your Honor."

"Well then you may call your first witness to the stand counselor." The judge informed.

"Thank you. For our first witness we would like to call Penelope Garcia to the stand."

"Ms Garcia, how long have you known Jennifer Jareau LaMontagne?" Elizabeth asked.

"We hit it off immediately, we've been friends since I started working with the unit, so I'd say like seven years." Garcia calculated.

"And what is your role at the FBI?"

"I'm a technical analyst."

"So, your profession is to take information and process it, determining what is fake and what is real."

"Correct-a-mundo." Garcia smiled.

"These pictures were presented as evidence for William LaMontagne, what could you tell us about it's accuracy."

"Well, this one looks like he's just comforting her as she's crying--JJ doesn't do that a lot. This one looks like they're just sitting on the couch, she's staying with him until this is all figured out." Garcia explained, "and this? _This _has to be the worst photoshop job in history."

"It looks pretty real to me." SSA Sanchez admitted.

"Sorry Sweet thing, but that's because you're not a professional. Look, do you see these small lines that show that the pictures were put together?" Garcia circled the obvious photoshop lines. "It's like this photo I made." Garcia said, pulling out her own picture and holding it up for everyone in the room to see. "It may look real, though not as real as mine," She smirked as she looked down at the picture of her friend, "but its not."

Morgan had to bite his only tongue not to burst out laughing at the obviously faked picture of him in chaps. _You just had to bring that picture, didn't you? _He laughed to himself as Garcia continued her explanation on the stand. He, Garcia, and Hotch had taken the afternoon off as expert witnesses. As much as Emily and Dave had both wanted to be there, _someone _had to stay back at the BAU and work.

"So you're saying there is no way this last photo of Mr. Marshall's is real?"

"No way on earth." Garcia agreed.

"Thank you." SSA Sanchez sat back in the seat.

"How exactly did you get the job with the FBI?" Will's lawyer began his questioning, still seated next to his client.

"I got in a little bit of trouble and the Bureau offered me a job."

"So you're a former criminal?"

"I'd like to think of myself as a reformed crusader for world kharma." Garcia said happily.

"Ms. Garcia, isn't it true that you are separated from your own husband, a Mr. Kevin Lynch?" Will's lawyer quickly stood.

"Yes." Garcia said, elongating the word.

"Isn't it also true that you are Henry's godmother?"

"Right again."

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you separate from your husband because you can't have children?"

JJ's eyes widened, shocked by the revelation of what her own friend had been going through without her knowledge.

"That was part of the reason, yes. We also lost a child two years ago, and we just grew apart after that." Garcia admitted.

"So would you say that you are attacking my client because you view him as the reason Ms. LaMontagne's child died, and you are projecting the anger from your own child's death onto my client?"

"Absolutely not!" Garcia seethed, "And if you had more than one brain cell underneath that greasy slicked back hair you would see how he's playing you. I've seen lots of horrible things with my job, but Will LaMontagne exceeds them all."

"I disagree." The lawyer interrupted, "William LaMontagne is a good man that wants to be a good father and raise his son in a stable home. Mr. LaMontagne is a victim, his reputation being ruined by a criminal who wants a child so badly that she'll say anything to get the opportunity to spend time with her Godson."

"Objection!" JJ's lawyer yelled.

"On what grounds?" Judge Matthews asked.

"TA Penelope Garcia's records from before she joined the FBI are only able to be viewed by those who have higher than top secret security clearance within the FBI, and if Mr. LaMontagne's attorney claims he has knowledge of her past then National Security has been breached and the FBI will need to start an investigation into this matter immediately."

"Withdrawn." Wills lawyer smiled as he sat down.

JJ felt sick at the realization of all her friend had gone through while trying to support her through the ordeal in Louisiana. She knew with sudden clarity of what had deteriorated her friend's marriage--Garcia had thrown herself into trying to support JJ so she didn't have to deal with the issue of her own child's death.

"TA Garcia you may step down." The judge said softly as Garcia exited the witness stand and sitting by Morgan who put a comforting arm around her.

"We would like to call SSAIC Katie Cole to the stand Your Honor." JJ's lawyer informed, "She's our expert witness on child behavior."

"Agent Cole, would you like to tell us your assessment of Henry James LaMontagne?" Elizabeth asked once Katie was sworn in.

"Henry LaMontagne is a bright boy. He has well developed speech patterns, reflective of high intelligence. That being said, he is withdrawn and overly compliant. This is something that we often see in children who have witnessed abuse in their homes. In drawings, he tends to draw him with his mother, reflective of a good relationship with that parent." Katie explained.

"His father, William LaMontagne, is never present in his drawings?"

"Most of his drawings were of him and Agent Jareau, his mother, but there is one of a dark headed man protecting Henry and Agent Jareau from a angry looking monster. When I asked Henry about the picture he told me that the dark haired man was Agent Hotchner and that he was protecting Agent Jareau and Henry from the monster which he identified as his father." Katie explained further. "Based on my findings I would recommend sole custody of Henry LaMontange be awarded to Agent Jareau immediately."

"Thank you Agent Cole." JJ's lawyer nodded, "It's your witness, I have no further questions."

"Thank you Agent Sanchez" Will lawyer said, mostly for appearances, "Agent Cole, what qualifications do you have that makes you think you are qualified to interview Henry LaMontagne and present your findings to the court?"

"I have a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Georgetown University, I'm a certified behavioral analysist with the FBI, and I have been the Unit Chief for the Crimes Against Children Unit for the last twelve years and counting."

"But you have no degree in Child Psychology?" The lawyer pressed.

"No, Clinical Psychology however is a more advanced degree." Katie said as though he were stupid.

"Isn't it true that you have worked with Agent Hotchner, the man found in the pictures with Mrs. LaMontagne, in the past?"

"I have."

"So, your findings couldn't possibly be clouded by your own professional biases?" Will's lawyer asked.

"Everyone is biased, and no. It did not cloud my judgement, or my findings. I also evaluated Mrs. LaMontagne along with another colleague of ours and we both recommended she seek out therapy, citing that she has the beginning stages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

"Isn't that a form of depression?" The lawyer asked.

"It's an anxiety disorder." Katie clarified.

"But it relates in a similar way to depression. While one professional may call it PTSD, another may call it depression, correct?"

"If they're an incapable therapist then yes, they may call it depression." Katie answered, her calm confident demeanor unchanged, "But PTSD is caused by a traumatic event and is characterized by nightmares, hypervigilance, panic attacks, and sometimes daily flashes of memory pertaining to the event that causes the person to freeze in fear. Agent Jareau has PTSD, and some lingering after effects of being verbally abused for long periods of time."

"Please explain."

"I observed Agent Jareau in the breakroom where another agent that she is not familiar with was simply having a bad day, and when he realized the sugar container was empty in the breakroom, he slammed the container down on the cabinet. A normal person's response would be to ask the person if everything was okay or if they could help in anyway or to ignore the situation entirely, but Agent Jareau simply whispered she was sorry and hurriedly excused herself from the room. Her body was also extremely tense, with her arms brought in close to her sides, and that behavior is usually seen in a person who feels they are about to be hit as a protective measure." Katie explained.

"According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Medical Disorders, for a person to be suffering from PTSD, the person must, and I quote, 'witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others' _and_ 'the person's response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror'." Will's lawyer read from his notes.

"That's correct." Katie said.

"Now tell me, if this alleged abuse _did not_ in fact occur, then are there any other possible stressors that Mrs. LaMogntagne could have faced?"

"It's unlikely that she suddenly had another stressor at the same time that she's claiming to be abused by her husband." Katie pointed out.

"Unlikely, but still possible." Will's lawyer pointed out, "Now, what type of things could act as a stressor other than the alleged abuse?"

"This disorder is mostly seen in victim's of violent crime, heavily abused individuals, and soliders coming back from war." Katie informed, "And since Jennifer Jareau LaMontagne was not reported as the victim of a violent crime ever in her life, and she has not servered in the military, I feel safe in saying that abuse is the only possible stressor. However, it is possible that the abuser was someone other that Mr. LaMontagne and he just failed to act in a form of protection for his wife--although in my professional opinion I have to admit I find this highly unlikely."

"And why is that?"

"William LaMontagne, Jr. is the New Orleans Police Chief, that's not a job you get by chance. Someone who is in that specific position would also exude a sense of confidence and a wish to protect the community--both things I have personally witnessed Mr. LaMontagne possessing. That being said, only a man with low self esteem and zero confidence would allow his wife and child to be abused and do nothing to stop it--especially the Chief of Police who would have every power to arrest the indiviual who was abusing his family, but Mr. LaMontagne did nothing in either direction which leads me to believe that he was, in fact the abuser himself."

Will's lawyer was obviously upset that his line of questioning hadn't brought doubt to Katie's statements. "No further questions." He admitted in defeat.

"Agent Sanchez? Your next witness."

"We call SSAIC Aaron Hotchner to the stand."

"Very well." The judge nodded as Hotch was sworn in.

"Agent Hotchner, what can you tell us about Agent Jareau since she has returned to your unit?" SSA Sanchez asked.

"She is, and always has been, an incredibly gifted and talented agent." Hotch began.

"But?" She prodded.

"But, she wakes up at night with violent nightmares. In one routine interrogation, she trembled with fear as she continued to fulfill her responsibilities. She will quickly leave a room if she is alone with another male she doesn't know well or if the room is full of men." He stated honestly, looking at JJ with compassion as he finished.

"And what does this suggest?"

"That she has suffered a traumatic experience, it is especially reflective of issues of being a victim of recent domestic violence."

"Oh and one last question. Are you, or have you ever been, in a romantic relationship with Jennifer Jareau LaMontagne?"

"No, I have not." Hotch answered, mentally adding, _"Maybe someday I'll tell her I love her, but not yet." _

"Thank you Agent Hotchner. Your witness." SSA Sanchez informed.

"Agent Hotchner do you have any proof that you are not currently romantically involved with Ms. LaMontagne?" Will's attorney asked with a hard tone of voice, hoping that Hotch would crack under intense questioning.

Stopping himself from rolling his eyes at the attorney's obvious tactics to get him to slip up and say something he might be hiding, Hotch answered, "Do you have any solid proof that we are in a relationship?"

"We only have the photos." Will's lawyer answered, confused at the question.

"Photos that have been proven to be doctored to provide false information. Counselor, if Agent Jareau and I were in a romantic relationship you would not need to document photos to prove the existence of the relationship, trust me."

Realizing that he wasn't going to get anything out of Hotch, Will's attorney relented, "No further questions, Your Honor."

"Very well. You may step down Agent Hotchner." The judge commented, "The final order of business for today will be temporary placement of the minor child, Henry James LaMontagne. Ms. Williams would you please take the stand."

Waiting until the woman was sworn in, the judge continued, "Now Ms. Williams, you work with the Department of Child Services correct?"

"Yes ma'am." The woman nodded.

"And you have interviewed Henry LaMontagne?"

"Yes I have, Your Honor." The woman nodded again.

"And what were your findings?"

"He's a little boy who is very eager to please and do anything that's asked of him. This is common in children brought up with parents that have a tumultuous communication style. When asked if he would want to live with his father, he became anxious and began to cry, asking for his mother. It is our recommendation that he stay with her until the court reaches a final verdict. We would also like to suggest that Mr. LaMontagne not be granted visitation during the temporary custodial period as it will only serve to disturb the boy further."

"Your honor, due to Mrs. LaMontagne's mental health, we request that Henry not be under her sole care." Will's lawyer shot up, certain that if his client wouldn't be able to have custody, the boy's mother shouldn't either.

The judge seemed to consider his suggestion thoughtfully, "Mr. Lyle, while I don't think that you have as yet provided a sufficient amount of evidence to convince me that Mrs. LaMontagne is unfit to provide for her child, I am going to act under extreme caution for the welfare of the child. Thus, temporary custody is granted to Mrs. Jennifer Jareau LaMontagne and is to be supervised by Agent Aaron Hotchner."

Will's lawyer nodded, admitting defeat, while JJ broke out into a wide smile at the announcement--at least Henry was safe, for now.


	12. Chapter 12

**_AN/ So, a lot happens in this chapter--be warned :)_**

Chapter 12

Hotch could see how tired JJ really was. Today had been a long day of court, with Will, via his lawyer, thrusting insults like a parade float threw candy on the Fourth of July.

"Come on, JJ. Let's go home." He smiled, happy that she had made such a large victory.

JJ quickly stood, but they were interrupted from their quick exit by Morgan. "Hey, Hotch." He said quietly, "We've got a local case that's really bad. Dave and Emily have been working on it, but they need the rest of us to come in--just for a consult." Morgan said, though his eyes kept darting back to JJ.

Austin, who had been sitting with Reid as they watched the case unfold, had come up to give JJ a hug. "Congratulations!" She said to the blonde, unaware that death had once again disrupted the celebration.

Hotch debated what to do. On one hand, he had a job to do, but on the other, he wanted to be there for JJ. He was _supposed _to be there for JJ. His debate was ended as he felt a soft hand touch his shoulder gingerly, "Go." JJ encouraged, "Austin will stay with us until you get back." The other woman nodded.

"Okay, lock the doors and call me if you even think something's wrong and..." Hotch started, only to be cut off once again by JJ.

"Hotch, we'll be okay. I promise." JJ smiled lightly, "Besides it's only a local case, you and the team won't be too far away if we do need you to protect us."

"I'll come with you back to the house and check it out first." Hotch assured her.

"Don't worry about it. Austin and I can handle it, and you won't be that far away if something happens, but nothing _is _going to happen." She replied, touched that he would go out of his way to try and make her feel comfortable. After all, she was just going back to the house. What more could happen?

"Okay, then. Morgan, Garcia, Reid, and I will all go in the SUV." Hotch said, always trying to conserve for the environment, "We'll pick up your cars later."

"Austin, you can take my car." Reid said chivalrously.

"Really? You're letting me drive the Volvo? You're so kind." Austin said sarcastically, smiling as she snatched the keys from her boyfriend.

"Hey! You never let me drive your car!" Reid pointed out.

"That's because you drive like a grandma, and because you have no idea how to drive a manual Spence." Austin reminded, smiling at the light blush now coating his face. Pressing a small kiss to his cheek, she whispered, "It's okay, I love you anyways."

Before he could respond Morgan interrupted the moment, "Sorry to break up this mushy moment, but we really need to get going--Prentiss and Dave need us at the latest crime scene."

As the others left, JJ and Austin entered the Volvo after picking up Henry from where he had been being babysat by a DCS worker. "So, how do you feel?" Austin broke the silence.

"Other than the fact that the entire world thinks I'm crazy? Pretty good." JJ smiled.

"You know that no one believed those crackpots. It just keeps coming down to his word against everyone elses. You have nothing to worry about."

"I'm just not sure what he's going to do. I was surprised he didn't do something when I got temporary custody." JJ admitted.

"Don't worry about him." Austin advised as they drove to Hotch's house. "Just celebrate today."

Sighing deeply, JJ quickly agreed. "You're right. Today, we're safe."

*******************

"Hey who was that?" Austin asked as she sat down on one of the stools at the small bar in the kitchen, taking the Chinese menu for JJ to pick out her order.

"Hotch" JJ answered, barely able to keep the small smile that threatened to break out on her face from showing, "He said they caught the UnSub, and now they just have to head back over to the court house to get Morgan and Garcia's cars and then he and Reid will be here."

"Oh cool. Henry's still napping by the way." Austin informed, "So what do you think of splitting a large order of rice and a large order of Moo Shoo pork?"

"Sounds good to--" JJ started, only to be interrupted by a loud bang as someone kicked in the front door--the alarm sounding loudly. Knowing it could only be one person who would be after them, JJ whispered, "Will. Hurry, go up the back stairs and get Henry out of the house!"

"I'm not going to leave you in here with him, come with me!" Austin whispered back furiously, grabbing JJ's hand.

"No! You need time to get Henry and get away, I'll distract him until the police get here--the neighbors had to have heard the alarm go off. Now GO!"

Austin had a moments hesitation before relenting and sprinting up the stairs to the sleeping boy. JJ took a deep breath as she walked into the front room, intent on facing the man who had been the source of her nightmares.

"What are you doing here?" JJ asked as she came around the corner, not expecting him to be waiting for her as he swung and caught her unprepared. She stumbled backwards slightly, caught off guard by the sudden contact.

"I'm taking my son back, you worthless whore." Will said. JJ quickly calculated the distance to the gunsafe upstairs, cursing herself for her responsibility and locking her gun away safely. "Where is he?"

"I'm not letting you take him." JJ said adamantly, bracing herself as his fist connected with her jaw. Grateful for the sound of the sliding glass door that signaled Austin and Henry's escape, she was determined to stand her ground, even as she could taste the blood in her mouth.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance. Then I wouldn't have had to put up with your lazy stupidity." JJ tried to move away, but Will grabbed her by the hair, yanking her along with him.

"You'll never get away with this!" JJ screamed as Will threw her down harshly, her head narrowly escaping the corner of the coffee table. Before he could jerk her back up off the floor, JJ's hand that had fallen under the couch grazed a small metal box. _"Hotch's secret gun safe! Oh thank you God!" _

Hoping to distract an angry Will from jerking her off the floor before she could get the small gun out of the lock box, JJ did the only thing she could think of--raising her left leg she hit him squarely in the groin, making him double over in pain as her fingers quickly opened the safe.

"Why you little bi--" Will started only to be cut off by a bullet entering his chest, killing him instantly.

JJ breathed easy for the first time in years, the nightmare she was living was finally over. It took her a moment to realize it. She killed him. It was a hard realization to come to. She saw as Hotch ran into the house followed quickly by Morgan, Emily, and Dave.

All she could do was stare at the corpse of the man who had made her life a living hell, she felt Hotch place a strong arm around her while she saw the others stop quickly. "He's gone." Emily announced as she checked his pulse.

"He attacked me." JJ said softly.

"We know, Austin called us." Dave announced.

"Henry?" She asked, looking into the dark eyes of the man she had come to respect and care for.

"With Garcia and Reid outside waiting for you." Hotch informed her softly, "C'mon, I'll take you to him."

"Okay" JJ nodded quietly, letting him carry her out of the room while Morgan, Dave, and Emily showed the Crime Scene Unit and the Coroner where Will's lifeless body lay on the living room floor.

Once outside Hotch put her down so she could take a screaming Henry from Garcia while Reid comforted a still shaking Austin. Feeling a little awkward, but unwilling to leave JJ's side so soon after almost losing her, Hotch moved to stand off to the side until JJ surprised him by reaching for him as a comfort for both her and Henry.

"Mommy!" Henry cried as he burrowed his head into his mother's shoulder. The boy had quickly realized his father's presence and the danger it posed to his mother. On leaving the house, Austin hadn't been able to get him to stop crying. The scene was heartbreaking, only marginally saved by the realization that they were finally safe. Hotch felt a rare surge of emotion as he placed his arm gingerly on JJ's other shoulder in an attempt to comfort the pair.

"Ma'm, we're going to need to take a look at that." The paramedic said, pointing to JJ's brow that she hadn't known was bleeding.

Following the medical professional, JJ sat in the back of the ambulance holding Henry who was still clinging to her. Hotch noticed the vacant expression in her eyes, and delicately held her hand while she was being looked after.

"Is it really over?" JJ looked at Hotch as the EMT finished.

"Yeah, it's really over." Hotch confirmed, relieved to see some feeling return to JJ's eyes at his words.

"JJ! What the hell happened? Are you okay?" SSA Sanchez yelled as she ran over. "I was just leaving Quantico when I heard."

"I'll be okay." JJ said softly, leaning into Hotch's side once the medic's finished bandaging up her cut brow. "Will...he...he attacked me and I had to shoot him to protect Henry."

"He's dead?"

"Yes." Hotch answered when JJ just cuddled Henry closer at the question, "She shot him in self defense."

"Good riddance." Sanchez murmured. "If the police come to question you, let me know, I'll be with you every step of the way." Elizabeth informed her as she moved to talk with Garcia who was standing guard over JJ protectively.

"Sir?" A uniformed officer approached Hotch unsurly. "Can I ask you to step over hear? We need to get your statement."

Sending a silent communication to Garcia, Hotch walked with the young officer while the Technical Analyst moved closer to her friend for support. For a moment, neither spoke.

"You never told me about the baby." JJ said, breaking the silence.

"I figured you had enough to deal with." Garcia admitted softly.

"I..I'm sorry you had to go through that alone, Pen." JJ apologized, "Is that why you and Kevin ended things?"

"I think it was more me pulling away after we found out there's only a 10 percent chance I'll ever get pregnant again, even less that the baby will make it to full term." Garcia answered, slightly uncomfortable with the conversation.

"I can't get pregnant again either." JJ admitted, tears threatening to fall at what she was about to divulge, "After I lost my baby girl I had to go to a OB/GYN so they could deliver her so my body could heal--that was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, give birth to my stillborn baby. They called me a few weeks later and told me that falling down the stairs had caused some major scarring inside my uterus and that while it was still possible that I could get pregnant, there was only barely a 30 percent chance."

Garcia could feel the tears in her eyes at her friend's revelation--life was just so unfair. "And who wants a woman who is damaged?" She asked, as JJ nodded.

"Kevin does." JJ admitted, remembering her conversation with the computer fanatic.

Garcia smiled softly at the mention of her estranged husband. "He's sweet, he doesn't know what he wants. He deserves--"

"He deserves you." JJ interrupted, refusing to allow her friend to sacrifice her own happiness any longer.

"He deserves better." Garcia countered.

"I'll make you a deal." JJ said as the wheels in her mind turned, "I'll ask Hotch on an honest date if you call Kevin and talk to him."

"No Jayje, I don't want you to do something you're not ready for just to get me to talk to Kevin." Garcia argued, "Not after what you been through these past few years and especially not today."

"Penelope Garcia you know I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't want to do it. Now do we have a deal?"

Looking over at Hotch as the young uniformed police officer finished taking his statement, Garcia would have had to be blind not to notice that every few seconds the boss man's eyes kept finding their way to her friend. "Okay JJ, deal."


	13. Epilogue

**(Three Months Later)**

Another case was solved and the team was back in Virginia unwinding with their loved ones. It wasn't a fancy bar--Emily's husband Brian had suggested one of his favorite places--but it was the perfect place for a night out with the BAU. Even Rossi had convinced his wife--Anna--to join them.

"So Reid you finally popped the question? I can't believe it!" Emily teased as Austin showed off her ring to the group, "I mean it only took you what? Four months after you bought the ring?"

"Hey I just wanted to do it right!" Reid defended, sitting down on one of the bar stools around their table. "I had to wait for her favorite flowers to come back in season."

"Yeah, that's what it was." Morgan chimed in causing everyone to laugh.

"Whatever it was, we're all very happy for you." JJ smiled, not failing to notice how Derek's eyes lingered on a blonde bartender.

"As long as it discourages Reid from spouting off statistics at every shot, I'm happy." Rossi added, causing the group to laugh again.

"So, how did the genius pop the question?" Emily asked conspiratorially.

"Oh, I don't think they need to know--" Reid discouraged.

"No, genius brain, I think we _do_ need to know." Garcia said, smiling as Kevin comfortably placed his arm behind her back.

Easing her way out of Hotch's arms, JJ slid onto the empty stool beside Morgan, "So that's her, the one you've been telling me about?" JJ asked quietly as Reid told the rest of the team how he proposed in the background.

Morgan just nodded, "That's Beth."

"Ask her out." JJ encouraged, watching as Beth glanced over at Derek and smiled. "She obviously likes you."

"JJ...I don't know." Morgan sighed, not completely sure he was ready to start dating again.

"One date, that's all I'm asking. Just ask her out for dinner or drinks and if you still feel uncomfortable when the night's over then I won't push you to ask anyone out again." JJ insisted. Ever since she had found out about Morgan's newfound insecurity with women, she had been trying to get him to date again. He was proving to be just as stubborn as she was.

"One date and you'll leave me alone? Forever?" Morgan queried.

"Okay, maybe not forever, but I won't push you to ask anyone out for at least a week."

Morgan chuckled, grateful for the deep bond of friendship that he and JJ had developed. "Here goes nothing," he sighed as he approached the attractive woman.

JJ couldn't help but smile at the excited look in the woman's eyes as Morgan flirted with her. "Looks like someone finally remembered where he put the Derek Morgan magic." Garcia said as the rest of the group turned to watch their friend pick up a woman.

"It's about time." Emily moaned, smiling softly to herself. "I thought he was going to end up a _monk_."

"Who's Aaron talking too outside?" JJ asked, noticing him outside on the phone.

"Don't know, but let's hope it's not another case." Dave answered as he returned to the table with another round of drinks.

"I don't know, after today, I wouldn't mind a case." JJ admitted.

"Don't you let Brian hear that." Emily said in mock horror, "He's always going on about how you're _trying_ to get me away on cases right when Meri has a dirty diaper."

"It's true!" Brian cried. "Just last week, the little poop stain got it everywhere and Emily 'mysteriously' got a case? I think not!" Brian teased.

"Oh, so you have to change one diaper in your life and now I'm torturing you?" Emily laughed, her eyes twinkling mischieviously.

"This is the kind of torture that I can live with." Brian admitted as he kissed his wife.

"Well I guess that's good since we just caught a case in Michigan, and it's a pretty bad one." Hotch informed sadly as he reached their table again, "I just got off the phone with Strauss who wants us there by the morning."

"Strauss is working this case?" Emily asked, horrified at the thought of working with her least favorite Section Chief again.

"No, her husband's mother was one of the victims. She was raped, tortured, and stabbed in her home earlier tonight."

"Lucky us." JJ said as the rest of the team gathered up their belongings and paid for their drinks. Even as death disrupted the fun evening, it was nice that things were finally starting to get back to normal.

"So much for a night out" Morgan grumbled as he returned to the table, heading out with the rest of the team, "I mean I just got her number and everything."

"So the old Derek Morgan's finally back again, huh?" Rossi asked as they made their way to the two waiting SUV's Strauss had sent to take them to the airstrip.

"Well maybe not the old Derek Morgan, but a better version of the new one." Derek mused, mentally reminding himself to grab his ready bag from under his desk.

* * *

**(Six Months Later)**

"Doesn't Austin look gorgeous?" Emily whispered to JJ as they watched Reid and his new bride dance their first song as a married couple.

"That dress fits her perfectly, and I didn't know Reid could look like that." Garcia added.

"It's not that I'm not happy for them, I am, but for some reason I'm craving pineapple's and chocolate right now." JJ whispered, trying to ignore the way her stomach was growling, "And my back is _killing_ me."

"Please can we not talk about pineapple's." Garcia groaned, her face turning a little green. "Just the thought of eating them right now makes me sick."

"Oh, does little Baby Lynch not like pineapple?" Emily teased. She was amazed at how much fun she was having being the only woman on the team who wasn't pregnant. At first she had felt a little jealous, now she wouldn't have it any other way. Fully remembering her own pregnancy, she was grateful that she wasn't going through that just yet, though she and Brian were talking about starting to try for another baby.

"Baby Lynch doesn't seem to like food at all." Garcia retorted. With JJ at only two months along and Garcia just behind her, Emily was sure that they would all be in for a fun-filled experience. Garcia had gotten her share of morning sickness, JJ on the other hand seemed make up for her lack of morning sickness with her ludicrious cravings. Emily always wanted to see someone eat a pickle with peanut butter, but now that she had, she decided she would stick with peanut butter and jelly.

"I love food." JJ mused, Hotch just chuckled as he heard his sweet fiance. It did Emily's heart good to see the pair together, every time JJ and Hotch even so much as held hands Emily beamed.

"Sweetheart, I think anyone here could vouch for that." Hotch said affectionately, stroking her golden hair.

JJ ignored him. "I feel really mean saying this." She began, pregnancy had caused a new sense of bluntness in her that no one had anticipated. "But who would've ever thought Reid would get married."

Emily laughed loudly. "I had my doubts."

"Oh, why are you girls dissing on Reid?" Morgan asked, holding hands ostentatiously with Beth, the bartender.

"I didn't." Garcia sniffed, she had been having mood swings fairly often lately.

"I'm pregnant. I can't help it." JJ defended, she basically could use pregnancy as an excuse for anything and no one would try to refute her because they feared what Hotch would do. JJ planned on using this to her advantage for as long as she possibly could.

Emily didn't exactly want to cite it on the fact that she was just a rude person, so she searched for an explanation. "I'm hypoglycemic?"

* * *

**(Seven Months Later)**

"JJ, you mean you haven't gone into labor yet?" Morgan teased as JJ waddled into the bullpen, followed closely by an exhausted looking Hotch, "I thought you said you were due over a week ago."

"Good morning to you too, Morgan." JJ grumbled, she was beyond ready to have her baby. The doctor had informed her that they must have miscalculated and she was at least a week away. This was the _third_ time her doctor had pushed her due date back and she was _definitely_ not in the mood for being teased.

"Who peed in your cheerios this morning?" Garcia asked, slowly making her way over to the team, "Why so grumpy?" Hotch had allowed both women to continue working until they delivered, though Garcia suspected it was more so he could keep a watchful eye on his girlfriend than because he wanted to allow her to work as long as possible.

"Pen how can you be so peppy when we're both over a week late?" JJ asked, she and Hotch had tried all the old wive's tales to initiate labor, but so far nothing had worked, "I swear, I feel like someone ran me over with a truck, not to mention Peanut must be sitting on my bladder because I really have to go to the bathroom."

"I like being pregnant, it's fun." Garcia smiled, rubbing her stomach affectionately as she and JJ started walking towards the closest bathroom.

Barely making it to the glass doors that lead out into the hallway, JJ felt a sudden rush of wetness run down her legs, "Uh..Garcia?"

"Yes princess?"

"Don't freak out, but I think my water just broke." JJ informed, laughing slightly, "Some timing this kid has, couldn't even let mommy get to the bathroom."

"Sshh...don't let my little niece or nephew hear you talking about them like that." Garcia chided, grabbing the reciver of the closest desk phone and dialing a familiar number.

"Agent Morgan."

"Gorgeous I think you and the boss man better get over here right away." Garcia said, smiling, "I'm pretty sure Baby Hotchner has decided to finally make it's long awaited appearance."

"Finally." Morgan groaned causing Garcia to laugh. As much as all of them had teased JJ about her daughter's delayed birth, they were all secretly thrilled that the pregnancy had gone so well. At first JJ had been paranoid that she would lose the baby, prompting Rossi to volunteer to hire a private doctor to monitor JJ at all times. She had refused, but the healthy pregnancy was nothing short of miraculous. Combined with Garcia's, the team felt as though they were the luckiest people on the planet.

"Yeah, hot stuff, quit stalling and go get the boss man and grab the keys to the SUV. Otherwise, you're going to have to deliver this baby in the middle of the hall--and I don't think anybody wants that." Garcia laughed.

"Yes ma'am!" Morgan answered, giving Garcia a mock salute from across the room as Hotch ran over, helping his wife out of the bullpen.

"Hey Derek?" Garcia said, her laughter stopping in her chest. "You should probably come too."

"Why?"

"Because JJ might not be the only one in labor and Kevin's at his parent's in Ohio." Garcia supplied, wincing as her first contraction hit her, "Now Derek!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Morgan yelled, running over to her--keys in hand. "I should have known you and JJ would go into labor at the same time, you spend more time with each other than you do your own husbands."

"Less talking, more walking." Garcia commanded, breathing deeply, "I am _not _having my baby in the elevator."

"Who knew you could be so bossy?" Morgan teased as they entered the elevator just behind JJ and Hotch.

"Now is _not_ the time!" Garcia groaned as a contraction hit. "But I can't help it if this baby is impatient."

"Yeah, he must have gotten that from Kevin." Morgan retorted.

"Definitely." Garcia agreed as she breathed deeply. "Remind me why I let my husband go to his parents when I'm nine months pregnant."

"You wanted them to meet the baby, and Kevin's mom is afraid of flying so you sent him to drive back with her." Morgan supplied gently, "Kevin's dad can't make it because Kevin's brother is having knee surgery today."

"Right, thanks for reminding me so I don't kill him. OW!" Garcia hissed, stepping of the elevator as the four BAU members reached the ground floor.

Herding the two women to the Bureau SUV, Morgan quickly helped Garcia in the passanger's side while Hotch and JJ slipped in the back. "Hurry Morgan." JJ groaned as he started the car.

"Turn on the lights and sirens." Hotch informed him.

"I thought that was unethical." Derek teased as he turned on the devices to give them a faster route to the hospital.

"My daughter is being born, I don't care about ethics right now."

"Well that's a first." JJ retorted, then winced in pain.

--------------------------------

"She's really beautiful JJ." Emiliy smiled as the team fawned over Hotch and JJ's new daughter. "Did you pick out a name yet?"

Smiling at her fiancee, JJ silently conveyed that she was letting him spill the beans on their baby's name--after all, he had been the one to pick it out. "Her name is..."

"Wait! Wait!" Garcia yelled as Kevin pushed her and their son into the room in an oversized wheelchair. Once she was settled, and the team stopped laughing, she continued, "Okay, now. What's her name?"

"Garcia I would not have expected anything less." Hotch smirked, "Everyone we would like you to meet Catherine Grace Hotchner."

"And her future husband here is Anthony Kevin Lynch." Garcia smiled as she raised the blue bundle so all could see her gorgeous son.

"Garcia, I _do_ think we are going to give our daughter some choice in the matter." JJ chuckled.

"That's what you think." Garcia mumbled, cuddling her son close again. "They're going to be a match made in BAU heaven."

**THE END**

**_AN--Well? What'd you think? I loved writing this story, and I'm totally grateful for all of the support from those of you that have read or reviewed this story. SSBAILEY is an awesome author to work with, and this sequel would be totally impossible without her. If you never read 'After Three Years', go check that out, because it's the prequel to this story._**


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